Scouring the Stars
by Sahara1256
Summary: Sequel to Dark Side of the Moons. Raven and Reika are reunited after four long years in the desert without each other. Raven is shocked at Reika's new lifestyle and Reika is surprised at his new Zoid. How will the pair react to new competition as well.
1. Prologue

_**Scouring the Stars**_

_**Sequel to Dark Side of the Moons.**_

**~*Prologue*~**

Off in the outskirts of the desert, right next to a small oasis was a tiny town. The cool night air invited people out of their homes and to enjoy nighttime festivities with friends and acquaintances. Such festivities include drinking in bars.

A pair of Stealth Vipers were off in the distance of the tiny town, hidden away in the large dunes of sand. A young woman with short jaw-length scarlet hairand a red semi circle Zi mark placed on her left cheek, wearing a white tube top shirt, with a red sleeveless over shirt and matching skirt and brown sandals, stood out beside one of the vipers with a pair of binoculars aimed at the town. She was scanning the town, and humming while she moved the binoculars. A slightly older looking man with shaggy brown hair and three blue streaks as a Zi mark on his right cheek, wearing a blue muscle shirt with black cargos sat beside her. Seemingly annoyed by her humming.

"Kama, will you stop with that infernal humming." The man said.

"What if I don't _feel _like it, huh Nirvan?" Kama, the young woman inquired. Nirvan scoffed and outstretched his legs.

"Why are women so difficult?" He muttered. Kama laughed loudly.

"That's our _job_, and it's a job that if were to be paid I would be a millionaire!" Kama fantasized.

"You'd probably be a trillion-naire at this rate." Nirvan scoffed again. Kama went back to her observation.

"Ooo, ooo I think I see it!" Kama shouted excitedly. "Yup I am pretty damn sure that's the Zoid boss described to us." She added.

"Describe it back Kama, I have her description written down." Nirvan requested.

"It is a desert camouflage colored Guysack, with small laser guns mounted on the top of each pincer." Kama described. Nirvan sat up and brushed himself off.

"Ok, time to call the boss and tell her we found him." Nirvan stated coolly.

"Oh yay." Kama replied turning around and jogging to her red and black Stealth viper. It sensed it's pilot coming back to it and lowered its cockpit for her to get in. Kama revved the Viper to life and hit picked up a headset installed into her radio communications. She placed them on her head and ear comfortably and clicked the button on the side. "Scarlet Snake to Black Butterfly." She started. A feminine voice on the other side of the radio responded somewhat unenthusiastically.

"Black butterfly in, did you spot the Guysack?" She asked.

"Yes'm we did. Recon complete. What do you want us to do?" Kama asked trying to spark some enthusiasm in her comrade.

"You and Blue Boa can burrow beneath his Zoid and wait for him to attempt an escape before you use any force. I'll handle him in the town." She instructed.

"Gotcha, Scarlet Snake over and out!" Kama replied taking the headsets off and putting her radio on a megaphone setting. "Hey Nirvan get in your Viper and let's go. We need to burrow and wait for his great escape. If she lets him get that far at least." Kama relayed. Nirvan shrugged and his Viper allowed him easy access to his cockpit.

"Hey job's a job." He replied. They both buried themselves into the sand and a wind carried the loose sand further out into the desert.

A deep burgundy Redler, with black wings with eyespots like on a butterfly's wings, landed half a kilometer away from the earlier elaborated Guysack. A young lady, not much older than 17, stepped out of the lowered cockpit. She had long, deep amethyst colored hair pulled back into a high-set ponytail with her bangs framing her face. She had a black butterfly clip pinning the bangs up out of her eyes right above her right temple. She had on a black halter cut pilot suit that cut off at the bikini line like a one piece bathing suit, and had a long flowing train coming off the hips. Part of the train resembled patterns found on butterflies once again, in streaks of emerald, warm gold, and violet. She had combat boots on laced up until three inches below the knee and then her matching stockings reached until the inner thigh. A belt hung loosely at waist with a gun holstered on her left and a magazine on the right.

She walked on into the town and crossed her arms, looking around for a place she would be able to find a dirty rotten scoundrel. She peered around and spotted a tavern that seemed to be buzzing with life and decided that this was where he was more than likely enjoying his current state of freedom.

The young lady decided to enter the tavern and some parts of the place went silent as she entered. Most townsfolk in here probably were not used to seeing a lady walk into this tavern let alone one her age. She went over to the bar and sat down. The bartender was facing the other direction as he was cleaning a glass. She coughed politely to grasp his attention. He swung his head around and noticed she had taken a seat and began to prop her hands up so she could lean her head on them.

"Hello there missy, what'll it be for ya?" He asked. The girl gave him a smirk.

"I am not much of one for drinking in public. But I have a couple of questions, if you do not mind answering them." She started of, sounding sweet and sincere with her not so normal conversation starter.

"Uh…ok. Whatcha' got to ask me?" The bartender said. She reached down and pulled a piece of folded paper out of a thin pouch on her belt and unfolded to reveal a picture to him. It was a sketch of an average looking man in his mid-thirties with a buzz trim.

"I am searching for this man; did he happen to come in here at any given point today?" She inquired. Bar tender looked at the picture long and hard.

"Eh…I see a ton of guys that come in looking like him…But uh I think that may be your man right over there at the corner table with those ones playing cards." The bar tender answered.

"Thank you." The girl said folding the paper up carefully and sliding it back into the pouch. She got up from the bar and went past other tables in the tavern. Along her way she had silently pulled the gun out of her holster, and loaded the magazine into it, and hid it at her waist. She reached the table and leaned behind the man she was looking for and looked over his shoulder and into his hand of cards.

"Huh, Otis with you having a hand like that means you have run out of luck." She said sounding sarcastically concerned. The man turned around shocked and saw that she had moved back quickly enough to have the gun aimed right at his head. "So you can either come quietly with me, or you can run and I will hunt you down like the rotten mongrel you are."

"What the hell? Who are you?" The man, named Otis asked frightened.

"I am your worst enemy, next to yourself of course. So come with me or we will have to continue this the hard way." She answered. Otis hopped out of his chair and nearly tripped trying to leave it. The young lady sighed. "They always choose the hard way." She didn't want to hit any innocents trying to track this one down, so she simply ran out the back door and around to meet him outside of the alley. Otis ran past her on the way to his Zoid which was not far from her own. She took aim with her gun and fired a single shot, unheard due to its silencer. It hit him in the left foot and he tumbled into the sandy street. She ran over to him as he struggled to get up. "I gave you your options and you chose the difficult one." She said to him coldly. He turned himself over onto his back and gazed up at her with fear stricken across his face. "You also chose the one that would make the biggest scene." She muttered as she heard people pouring into the streets.

Then suddenly the man put on a front. Otis looked right into her darkened jade eyes and manned up.

"Go ahead shoot me, I won't beg." He started. "I'm not afraid of you, and I'm not afraid of the bastards who hired you to come get me. I'm not afraid!" Otis shouted.

"I want to let you know, reverse psychology does not affect me." The young lady said. His eyes went wide. "They also told me to bring you back dead or alive, so long as their information was safe and the Zoid returned in one piece I still get paid. Besides that Otis…" she went on. Metallic sounds and mechanically hissing began to roar behind them next to his Guysack. "You would not have made it past my friends there." She finished. Otis turned his head around to see a midnight blue and white Stealth viper along with a red and black one. Otis whimpered a little as he saw all of this going on before him.

"Alright, we get to see the action this time." Nirvan said over his loud speaker.

"Oh goodie!" Kama agreed, their Zoids making their own cries.

"So Otis, any final words?" She asked. Otis turned back to her and shook his head. She smirked. "Say hello to Gunther Prozen for me when you get where you're going, just tell him Reika sent you." She said this, pulled the trigger, and he silently fell into the sandy blood pooling and clumping the sand together. The girl placed her middle finger and her thumb in her mouth and whistled. A beam of bright purple shot out of her Redler and a purple Organoid landed right there behind the man named Otis. "Luminescent, carry him over to the Guysack and throw him in the cockpit. Then fuse with it so we can take it back to the owners at the republican base nearby." She instructed. The Organoid did as told and picked him up with her mouth. The young lady left heading back to her Redler, and it let her back into the cockpit.

The Redler, two Stealth Vipers, and custom Guysack were making great haste to reach the Republican base not far from the town.

"Hey Reika," Nirvan started up a communication link with the young lady in the Redler. "How much was this guy worth anyways?" Reika sighed trying to recall. She was so focused upon finding the man that she forgot all about the payments in the end.

"I believe he was worth 10 or 15K. All because he stole the customized Guysack and top secret information dealing with the military was given to him at one point. Apparently the base by itself saw him as high risk outside of their control." She answered.

"Wow. Did they tell you what top secret stuff he knew about or what?" Kama asked.

"You really think they would let us know that Kama?" Nirvan replied to her.

"I'm sorry if I'm just curious is all. Geese what's shoved up your ass tonight Nirvan?" Kama retorted.

"Nothing's shoved up mine but you sound like there's something up your-," Nirvan got out before Reika butt in.

"Nirvan you finish that sentence and I might just shoot your Vulcan canon off." Reika said. "Now can you two get along until we get home? I really do not feel like listening to you two bicker like small children."

"Fine."

"Okay…" they both responded at the same time cutting off their communications. Reika shook her head and laughed a little. She admitted this much, they were entertaining at times.


	2. The Sands of time

_**Scouring the Stars**_

**Chapter one**

_The sands of time_

"Sir, we are _bounty_ _hunters_. Not body guards. I hate to disappoint ya, but that's just our expertise." Haldor, a tall well built man with a black tank top and jeans with studded wrist cuffs, spiked blonde hair and cigarette lit up in his mouth explained at a desk in an uncaring tone. Haldor tapped a pen annoyed at his client's pleading.

"No really please can't you and your partners make an exception just this once?" The man started. "I promised my town that I would come up with some sort of protection for them, and the Guardian Force is busy in their own affairs. Please sir I've heard this Zoid and Pilot are ruthless!" the man kept on going.

"Sir I really am getting tired of hearing you beg, now if you don't mind I-," Haldor was cut off by Reika standing silently behind him with her faithful Organoid Luminescent.

"How much are you willing to pay?" Reika asked interrupting Haldor's sentence.

"Almost anything!" The man said. "Anything to make sure the people are safe when he comes around. Please!" He groveled.

"We set our prices on the levels of importance we and the client set. Since your situation is calling for protection more than destruction, we'll charge slightly extra, seeing as you are going out of our comfort zone. So you say this Zoid and pilot have been terrorizing bases and towns for a while now and just destroys everything in sight?" Reika began to negotiate.

"Yes! He stops at nothing to make sure every single Zoid in that town is obliterated!" The man clarified. Reika pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil and began scribbling something down.

"How many of us are you hiring?" Reika asked.

"How many are you?" the man asked.

"Six." Haldor answered. "Two recon and stealth specialty Zoids, two airborne Zoids, and two ground combatant Zoids." Haldor added.

"I'll hire you all." Haldor and Reika looked at the man incredulously.

"You are one dedicated mayor." Reika stated. Reika sat in thought for a moment to come up with a price that she could evenly divide between the six of them. She took in consideration the fact that this seemed like a high risk mission if the Zoid and pilot he was describing lived up to his expectations. The cost of ammunition, of possible repairs, and time they all put in. "24K. Since this is quite pricey given your current situation, we can allow you to make several payments." Reika informed him.

"That's fine! I'll do that. Thank you, thank you so very much!" The mayor thanked over and over again.

"Your welcome. Now when do you need us to come to your town?" Reika asked.

"As soon as possible." The man answered.

"Would tonight or early tomorrow morning be good? We need time to set up our Zoids." Reika replied.

"That's fine." He answered. Reika nodded.

"Ok, I would like you to come with me to our hangar and I will give you a layout of our Zoids and the people Piloting them." Reika requested getting away from the table. Haldor sighed as he began to draw up the papers necessary to seal the deal. Luminescent followed Reika and the mayor.

The Mayor followed Reika obediently through their Headquarters, built into a small plateau formed in the desert. She brought him into the hangar where all six Zoids were kept in their own work and launching areas. Reika led him into the land combatant Zoids' area first.

"This right here is Haldor's Zoid. His is the Iron Kong Mark II customized to his liking. All of our Zoids are customized to their pilots. His is codenamed _Yeti_." Reika started, directing his attention at the white armored Iron Kong with a Gattling Gun mounted to its shoulder and two different missile launchers mounted on its back. "The customizations made to his Iron Kong are specifically his trademark drill hammer knuckles and spiked wrist guards." Reika pointed out. "He added them in himself, when he goes into close combat the spike guards and the drills placed in the knuckles of the hands it becomes very useful." Reika finished moving onto the next one.

"This next Zoid is the Hound Soldier which is piloted by Conor." Reika began. "It has the three barreled burst cannon in the front here, along with the obvious cross lances mounted on the sides of the neck. Bite fangs, Chase missile pods, and a hound buster cannon are also equipped. It has an active radar, and the thrusters are upgraded so instead of going the maximum speed of three hundred and thirty kilometers and hour it goes up to four hundred. The armor has been modified to withstand the pressure as well, making damage done much less." She explained. The Hound Soldier was in the usual black and gold. Reika moved on into the next portion of the hangar.

"This is where the two Stealth Vipers are kept. They are piloted by Kama and Nirvan. Both are not only painted the way they want them to be but the both of them carry four smoke dispensers. Kama's red and black one is equipped with electron bite fangs, and Nirvan's has an electromagnetic net gun." Reika summed up. "That's the most done to them." She began to lead him up a couple sets of stairs into another higher up hangar.

"This hangar is where we keep our airborne Zoids. Mine is in here. The first one here is the Zabat, piloted by Lilith." She pointed out the bat-like zoid hanging from a perch upside down. It was black with crimson colored wings. "Her model is code named _Dracula_, after some legendary earth vampire of some sort. It is specially equipped with electron bite fangs. It has a homing bomb, hyper killer claws, and 145mm laser guns. It also has infrared scopes and Doppler radar systems. The thrusters have been modified to take the Zoid well past the Maximum speed of Mach 2.8 and well into 3.5. Modified armor is a given." Reika elaborated. She led him on a little further and there sat her Redler in the next hangar.

"This is my Redler. My paint job resembles the eyespots used by some species of butterfly to camouflage or put on a bluff for predators. The armor is reinforced because my thrusters are able to bring it into mach 4 speeds. It also has an extra sensitive sensor system. The wings have had retractable blades like the one installed in the tail added to them to give for more close combat options in dog fights. Also the four available strike claws were upgraded to strike laser claws. Another close combat advantage." Reika finished. Luminescent took her place at Reika's side. "That concludes the details. You can either stay here with us until we leave so we can have directions as to where we are going, or go home and send a scout when you need us." Reika concluded.

"I'll stay here then go back with you." The man replied. Reika nodded.

"We're going to be working on our Zoids until we leave, so let me go inform our other associates and get started." Reika said, Luminescent making a grunt to back up her comment as she left.

Reika walked through several corridors and ended up near her, Kama, and Lilith's rooms. She knocked on both their doors, and Kama and Lilith stepped out. Lilith had long blonde hair that was pulled back into a French braid, and very stunning blue eyes. She had a pilot suit similar to Reika's. It was a black halter top which stopped short at her hips, and was also wearing a pair of black shorts to match it. She had a white jacket with black trim on over her shoulders and her Zi mark was a pair of green dots on her forehead.

"What's up Reika?" They both asked.

"We have been hired to protect a town from this rampant Zoid and pilot. 4k to each of us. All of us were hired. Go work on your Zoids and I'll inform you of when we need to be leaving." Reika answered.

"Oh yay! An exciting job!" Kama stated enthusiastically. "This time we get to get in the action." Kama excitedly added as she walked off to the hangar.

"I think I have heard of this guy." Lilith said to Reika.

"What do you know of him?" Reika asked.

"Well I do know that there have been cases where people saw a black Organoid with him. It's also a Zoid that has never been seen before. Neither the Republic nor Guylos empire stake claim on the Zoid's model." Lilith continued. Reika remained well composed as she began to think.

"Take extra precaution if we make contact with him, if he has an organoid then I am certain he will be twice as good as described." Reika replied. Lilith nodded and went on her way to her Zabat. Reika turned around and hung her head. She lifted up a set of dog tags and read the information inscribed on them. "Raven…It just cannot be…" She muttered.


	3. Geno BreakDown II

_**Scouring the Stars**_

**Chapter Two**

_Geno-Breakdown II_

Reika went over to the next set of rooms in the corridor adjacent to the previous one with her and the other girls' rooms. She knocked on Nirvan and Conor's doors and both of them groaned as they exited.

"What now?" Nirvan asked seemingly tired. Conor just stood there analyzing Reika's cold, stoic expression.

"We have been assigned to a protection mission. We are to guard a town from a rampant Zoid, the entirety of it is 24K and we are each getting 4k each. At the moment I am going to speak to our client again because Lilith brought something to my attention that could raise the stakes for us and raise the price for him. We are all going out there so I suggest you both go work on your Zoids." Reika explained. Both guys nodded their heads and Nirvan walked slowly off.

"What'd Lilith tell you?" Conor inquired. Conor was tall, well built, tan and had shaggy brown hair. Along with deep brown eyes and no Zi mark was present. He had on a black jacket with faux fur trimming the hood and no shirt on underneath and a pair of khaki cargo pants. "Cause I can see whatever she told you is upsetting you as well as the price."

"The only thing that upset me, was that the guy forgot to mention rumors of an Organoid. That changes everything." Reika stated. Conor pretended to look afraid.

"I ain't scared of an Organoid. How does that pilot having an Organoid have anything to do with the price?" Conor asked.

"You've seen what Luminescent can do in a Zoid. Imagine that _against_ us." Reika stated.

"Hmm." Conor simply stated as he put his hands in his pockets. "Well when you put it that way. But there is something else there." Conor added.

"What do you mean?" Reika asked. Conor walked to stand in front of her. He looked down at her and Reika could feel his gaze bore into her own, trying to peer at her through her eyes.

"What I mean is you seem anxious, nervous…perverse." Conor explained. Reika raised her eyebrow.

"Perverse in what sense?" Reika inquired.

"Well a mix of both. You're determined to go counter something, not sure what though." Conor responded. "But you also seem like you want to go do something wicked." Reika began to laugh as she walked away at his last comment.

"Wow." She finally was able to say in between her laughter. "Conor, you cease to amaze me."

_______________________________

"Ok you." Reika started sounding infuriated as she pushed the Mayor against the office wall. "You withheld information old man."

"N-n-no I didn't! I swear!" The man began to cover.

"No I heard from one of the associates, she heard a rumor saying that this Zoid was not claimed by either the Helic Republic or Guylos Empire _and_ on top of that he supposedly has an Organoid. Sir I hope you know I _am not_ overlooking that tiny detail. I have one of my own; I know how powerful a Zoid can become with one." Reika dropped him away from the wall.

"I-I-I'm sorry…I heard those rumors too…but they just slipped my mind is all! I didn't not tell you on purpose!" The mayor said in his defense.

"Lies!" Reika barked. "How about instead of trying to spare your town the extra taxes or your child's pitiful piggy bank think about this; we have lives! When you withhold information from us our lives could be jeopardized!" Reika scolded. "To compensate for your lack of cooperation with us, you have a down payment to give us." The mayor gulped. "Pay half of it once we're there. End of discussion." Reika nearly growled. The mayor gulped some more as Reika stormed off with Luminescent trailing behind her. Before Reika walked into the next room leading into the hangar Luminescent turned around and growled at the mayor.

"I-is she always like that?" The mayor asked Haldor as he was drawing up the papers.

"Eh…She's like this sometimes; you've just caught her on a bad day I guess…" Haldor replied. The mayor cowered in against the wall a little longer.

_______________________________________

Reika stared at her Redler, trying to bring down some walls. She played with the dog tags as she stared off in thought. "_Raven…If it is you, what can I do? What will I do?_" Reika questioned. "_I care about these people, like I did you. Who the hell am I trying to hide from now? I still care about you, Raven._" Reika thought to herself clutching the dog tags.

"Hey," Conor called out, bringing her back into reality. "Aren't you going to go and check up on your Zoid?" Conor asked leaning against the railing.

"I used it minimally the other day. Besides that I have an Organoid, that's an upgrade all on its own." Reika replied. Conor laughed a little.

"You seem really uptight today. More so than usual at the very least." He stated.

"Your point is?" She asked.

"What's up? There has got to be something on your mind or you wouldn't be acting this way." Conor stated.

"Nothing that is of your concern Conor." Reika answered. "It's just something that has haunted me for the past four years." She finished. Luminescent stood on her right side and Conor came closer on her left.

"How is it not my concern how a friend is being 'haunted' so to speak?" He argued.

"Why do you want to know so badly?" Reika turned to him letting some anger slip out.

"I just said it. You're my friend and I care." Conor answered. Reika's eyes widened and she turned back to grip the railing and stare down at the floor angrily. "Seriously are you ok? Since you heard the rumor of the Zoid from Lilith you've been acting like you've got something to hide!" Conor kept pressing.

"Conor…" Reika started. "Just _stop._" Luminescent added her own growl to back Reika up.

"Reika, what are you hiding?" Conor asked again. Reika shut her eyes tightly and took deep breaths.

"If you really _must _know Conor." She started off acidic. "I _think_ I know the pilot of that Zoid. I cannot be sure until I see his Organoid or meet him in combat." Reika finally admitted, clutching onto the dog tags tightly. She turned and started to walk away.

"Reika!" Conor called out to her. Luminescent stood in front of him as he tried to go towards her and roared at him before heading off herself.

~*~

"Ok can you all hear me clearly?" Haldor asked everyone on communication.

"Dracula, read you loud and clear." Lilith replied in her Zabat high above the town.

"Blue boa. Ditto." Nirvan responded out in the eastern outskirts of the town.

"Scarlet Snake. You're loud and clear Haldor." Kama replied on the western side.

"Hellhound reporting in." Conor stated at the southern entrance.

"Black Butterfly, must I say anymore?" Reika called in as she circled high above the town as well.

"Alright everyone is in position. I want to remind everyone that we are in a high risk job. We have no idea what Zoid we are going against, whether he has an Organoid or not, or if he's going to even show up tonight or live up to his expectations." Haldor began. "But I wanted all of us to be clear on what we are positioned to do. Kama, Nirvan I want you both to keep both eyes wide open and all senses on the desert. Lilith and Reika, I want you both to keep an eye out for anything suspicious that Kama and Nirvan can't spot. Conor as for you and me we are going to be here at the town in case he gets in this close." Haldor explained. "Are we all clear."

"Yes sir-ee Haldor!" Kama mach saluted and cut off her communication.

"Crystal sir." Nirvan responded cutting his off.

"Understood." Lilith replied following suit.

"Aye, aye." Conor slipped off the line. Haldor stopped Reika before she had the chance to confirm her position.

"Reika I want to speak to you a moment." Haldor stated.

"Yes." She responded.

"Conor came to speak to me with some concern shown for you. You may know who the mystery pilot is?" Haldor questioned. Reika sighed and set her Redler sights all around Conor's hound and fired.

"What was that for!?" Conor shouted.

"Because I am not physically there to punch you in the face Conor." Reika told him.

"Reika save it for the fight! Do you or do you not _think _you know the pilot?" Haldor asked again.

"Yes, but I will not know for sure until I see the Organoid." Reika answered. Haldor nodded.

"If it turns out you do know him, do you know what you're gonna do?" Haldor asked again. Reika looked dejected.

"I do not know sir." Reika answered. "Depends on if he remembers me, or attacks anyone of us ruthlessly." Haldor nodded.

"Don't do anything stupid, got it kid?" Haldor requested. Reika nodded as she cut off her communication. Haldor sighed and lit up another cigarette. "She's so unpredictable it's unbelievable!" He complained.

Several hours past by as the night sky shimmered with stars, and the wind in the desert picked up stray packs of sand. Nirvan was about to pass out on his controls until his sensors picked up something. His eyes shot back open and he brought the alarm up.

"Hey guys I've spotted something on my sensors! Lilith can you check it out." Nirvan started. Lilith set her infrared on and saw something moving quickly towards the city.

"I see it Nirvan. I'm homing in on it now." She activated her homing bomb and set her sights on the unidentifiable Zoid in the distance. Reika pulled her senses up and tried to get a good close up of the Zoid. She pulled up a night blurred picture of a red Zoid that resembled…a Genosaurer. Reika silently began to freak out as memories flooded back.

"T-the eyes…" She muttered. Conor clicked into her communications.

"Reika are you ok?" Conor asked, Reika held her head with one hand and nodded. She gulped and put it back on her controls.

"Just let me have a couple shots at it and I'll be fine." She replied. Conor cut off communication and began heading towards the eastern front where the action was going to take place.

"Haldor, he's here." Conor radioed Haldor.

"Alright let's get this party started. Kama you ready?" Haldor radioed.

"I was _born_ ready." Kama said burrowing underground to get there. Reika flew over Nirvan and hovered high above them so that maybe his sensors didn't pick her up in the air. Lilith released her homing bomb and it went soaring at the unidentified Zoid. The bomb made contact with the target but the target did not stop moving. Reika brought an image up again. She let out a shocked gasp.

"_It has a shield!_" She stated over the radio for everyone to hear. Everyone put up more of a guard once they learned this.

"Everyone keep your guard up! Do not let this psyche you out!" Haldor coached. Reika flew out further to the Zoid. Conor took after her.

"What are you two doing!?" Nirvan asked incredulously.

"I am going to stop him from getting any closer to the town!" Reika said as she switched her thrusters on full blast. She released the three blades on her Redler and dive bombed the Zoid. Conor was racing out towards the fight to make sure Reika didn't do anything regrettable. Reika finally breached the lowest clouds and the Zoid's shield was down she swooped through and got a glimpse of its appearance. She freaked out and pulled up as it placed one enormous claw up to protect it. She grazed the claw's round shied like attachment with her left blade and pulled quickly up. It looked like the Deathsuarer…

Raven saw the Redler swoop by, he couldn't tell if it was the nighttime lighting, but that Redler looked like it was burgundy. It couldn't be, the planet was just too large. She was long gone from his life now. Just a distant, far off memory. Besides that the wings on this Redler had a different paint job. Raven heard a howl come from his right flank. A Hound Soldier, was taking aim with the buster cannons mounted on the chest. It fired and Raven easily dodged it and headed in the hound's direction with the thrusters all the way up. The Hound ran off in another direction to give the enemy a chase.

Conor was pleased to see that his Hound Soldier was faster than this Zoid. He boosted his thrusters to get away. Suddenly Nirvan and Kama both shot out of the ground at the Zoid. Nirvan fired a net and Kama went in for the bite. The Zoid's pincers not only cut through Nirvan's net but caught Kama's Viper in its grasp.

"Kama!" Nirvan shouted.

"Oh no! Oh no!" Kama chanted scared trying to get free. Nirvan tried to free her by firing at the claw but to it worked to no avail. The Zoid caught him up in the other claw as well. Both of them were being shaken up in their Zoids.

"Nirvan! Kama!" Reika and Conor turned back around to face the Zoid again. Conor, without thinking, fired at the Zoid. The Zoid moved Nirvan and Kama into the way of the lasers.

"Shit..." Conor muttered as he stopped charging the Zoid.

"Let them go!" Reika shouted angrily as she charged up the strike laser claws and struck the Zoid in both of the pincers, which caused him to drop both Nirvan and Kama. They struggled to bury themselves into the sand quickly.

"Pesky Redler…" Raven growled. He set the charged particle beam cannon up with the Genobreaker. The stands went down on the feet and he set the sights on the Redler soaring higher into the sky. It started charging and then fired up into the heavens.

"Oh no you don't!" Conor shouted as he charged the Zoid and fired his cannons at him again. Once he tackled the Zoid it was knocked off balance and the beam missed Reika. Reika looked out at the beam that barely missed her. The Deathsaurer's chaos came back to her mind. The charged particle beam that destroyed parts of the capitol, that destroyed part of the planet when she was first born. The beam that _he_ had to use because Prozen commanded him to. Reika began to shout as it all became to frustrating for her to bottle up.

"Luminescent!" Reika called. Luminescent pushed more power out into the Redler. Reika turned it around and hit the thrusters on full. She released all three of the blades on the Redler. She was heading back towards the ground faster than she had probably gone before. When she could see the Zoid once again she saw that Conor was in his grasp now. The Zoid was tightening the grip every so often to cause more damage. She swooped down right there with her right wing blade out and poised to slash the Zoid's head off but the second pincer came up quickly and grabbed the blade in mid flight, sending Reika and the Redler spiraling into the sands. Reika screamed as she was slung around like a rag-doll.

"Reika! Reika!" Conor called out through the Zoid. The Red Zoid stopped closing its grip on Conor.

"W-what was her name?" The man in the cockpit of the red Zoid asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know now you son of a bitch!" Conor spat. The Red Zoid tossed his aside and went over to Reika's in the distance. Reika was struggling to stay awake and get the Redler up and on it's feet or better yet up in the sky again. She felt her eye lids begin to get heavy and she blinked away a droplet of blood that landed in her eye.

"Come…on…he's coming this…way." She coached herself and the Zoid. "Luminescent help…" She weakly said. The Redler was struggling to get up, many parts were thrown now and the blade was ripped off the right wing. The spiraling and crash messed up the Redler big time. Reika noticed the screen flashing asking for a communications link with something called the Genobreaker. She hit accept and a visual of Raven appeared on the screen. Her eyes shot open, her breathing almost halted and her heart skipped beats. "Raven…" She breathed.

Raven couldn't believe his eyes, it was her. After all this time he finally found her. He gasped as he saw some blood stream down from her head and onto her face. A small smile crawled across her face.

"Thank goodness…I did not hurt you." Reika muttered before she leaned back in the seat.

"Reika hold on! Don't close your eyes!" Raven shouted. He cut off communication and moved the Genobreaker closer to the Redler as the Redler fell over again. He hopped out of his own cockpit and ran over to the Redler. "Luminescent let me in!" The cockpit to the Redler moved down and opened up for him. He climbed up and unsecured her seatbelts. Reika stirred a little as he did so.

"I-I thought it was too good to be true…It is you." Reika stammered as she gazed up at him. Raven leaned in and placed his hands on her shoulder and head, looking for the wound.

"Shh…Reika…I'm so sorry…" Raven breathed. He couldn't believe his own eyes. This had to be a dream. He was actually reunited with her after all this time.

"I…thought you were dead…When Van said…" She was cut off.

"Don't think about what Van said he couldn't kill me if he tried!" Raven comforted her. She tried to sit up but she passed out.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Sahara~ You must hate me for this cliffhanger. You probably also hate me for having Raven hurt her (I hate myself a little actually ,) ANYWAYS I hope you enjoyed the chapter regardless. In my own opinion I don't think I write battle scenes all that well so I hope it wasn't too messy or confusing. **


	4. Fairytale

**Chapter Three**

_Fairytale _

Conor watched from a distance stuck and utterly lost in confusion. Why the guy just run out of his Zoid and into Reika's to see if she was ok? Did she know him and just couldn't tell at first? Conor had no clue but he managed to get the Hound Soldier up on its feet and make it over there at the same time Nirvan, Kama, Lilith, and Haldor decided to show up. He hopped out of his own Zoid and ran over to the Redler's feet and pulled out a gun. He aimed it at the guy and began to shout at him.

"Whoever you are you step away from there!" Conor shouted as he saw Raven lean back up with Reika in his arms bridal style.

"Conor! Back off!" Haldor shouted. Conor lowered the hand gun and turned to the Yeti in shock. "He obviously knows her."

"But he just attacked her!" Conor protested. Raven had already hopped off the Redler cockpit and landed ok.

"Alright you, put her in your Zoid and follow us. Her Organoid can take the Redler back." Haldor requested of Raven. Raven nodded and brought her over to his Zoid and climbed in. Conor reluctantly went back to his Zoid, glowering at the Genobreaker as Raven started it up.

"_What the hell is going through Haldor's mind?_" Conor thought angry.

~*~

Reika stirred a little in her room. She groaned slightly in her sleep. Raven sat on the edge of his seat beside her bed. Luminescent and Shadow sat curled up with each other in a little pallet in the corner. A knock echoed in the silence of Reika's room.

"Yeah…" Raven said. Conor walked in with Lilith not too far behind.

"How is she?" Conor asked.

"Asleep." Raven replied. He appeared as though he was going to conk out at any given moment.

"How about you go and take a break uh…Raven. I can watch her now." Lilith said not sure of his name at first. Raven glanced over at her and shook his head.

"I'd rather be here when she wakes up." Raven responded. Lilith walked over to his chair and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Go take a break. I'll come and get you if she starts to wake up." Lilith insisted. Shadow grunted at him and Raven reluctantly got up and left the room. Conor looked over at Lilith and then left after Raven. Lilith sighed.

"Men…" She said. Luminescent chuckled a little in her corner.

Raven walked all the way out to the hangar and gazed at Reika's wrecked Redler. He wished he realized sooner that it _was_ her Redler. He leaned against the cold railing and stared at it, letting memories of the past flood his mind. Raven could still hear her cries of joy when she did something right in practice. He closed his eyes and sucked in a huge gulp of air, then released it as an exasperated sigh. The guilt was unbearable. Raven could still see the happiness on her weak, battle worn face from several hours ago.

"_Thank goodness…I did not hurt you…"_ Raven heard her words echo in his head again and again.

"Hey." Conor snapped him out of his guilty conscious. Raven whipped his head around to face Conor. "So how do you know Reika?" Conor asked as he went and stood next to him. Raven turned back to the Redler.

"She not tell you about herself or something?" Raven answered with a question.

"You can say that. Her past isn't exactly well known to us except that Haldor found her in a town after she helped him bring someone down three years ago." Conor explained. Raven scoffed.

"You do know that she is a Ancient Zoidian right?" Raven asked smirking. Conor looked at him incredulously.

"Say what?" He replied.

"Why do you think Luminescent never leaves her side? Cause she's a pet? She's absolutely attached to Reika from the first life." Raven stated. Conor had an expression that asked all the questions for him. "I used to work for Gunther Prozen…that bastard who tried to take over the planet with the Deathsaurer four years ago. He dispatched some scientists and myself to a set of ruins, and I found her. I found her in a pod with her Organoid. Prozen decided to 'adopt' her so to speak and on occasion used her to find out more about the Deathsaurer. I was her body guard down to the basics." Raven explained.

"You guys go all the way back to that son of a bitch? Wow." Conor stated. "How'd you guys get separated then?" Raven gave a light chuckle.

"Well, you can say we cared a lot about one another. I loved…no I take that back I _love_ her more than anything and Prozen used it against me. He sent me after someone I already had a gripe with and told me to bring his Zoidian friend back and that if I didn't, Reika would die." Raven gripped the railing out of anger. "I was defeated by him, and my Zoid was completely destroyed. My Organoid Shadow luckily reached me in time before I was killed along with it. Judging by what Reika said to me before she passed out she met up with him sometime afterward and he said I was dead. I wandered around for four years hoping I would find her like I promised and here we are." Raven finished.

"_Wow, who would've thought Reika had such a secret life kept from us this entire time._" Conor thought. He looked at Raven's face again. Conor could see the pain written in his expression. "You want to go grab something to eat or drink, then head back to her room?" Conor asked him. Raven shook his head.

"I don't have much of an appetite at the moment." Raven answered walking away from the railing. "But I can go back to her room."

*~*

Reika groaned again and Lilith looked on in anticipation as Reika's eyes fluttered.

"Come on Reika." Lilith murmured. Reika's eyes slowly opened and she blinked several times to clear her vision. She turned her head to face Lilith.

"Lilith…What happened?" Reika asked as she shakily sat up. "All I remember was being thrown…and dare not say the next part." Reika stated.

"Yeah you were thrown pretty badly. You hit your head really hard, I'm not surprised you don't remember much. Why don't you want to say the next part?" Lilith replied.

"Because I do not know if I imagined it or not…" Reika groaned. Just then Raven and Conor reentered the room and Reika looked up and saw Raven. She gasped and her eyes widened. "Raven." She breathed as she slung her feet out from underneath the blankets and got up. On her way to get up to get to Raven she stumbled and Raven quickly ran to catch her.

"Reika you shouldn't be moving!" Raven told her worried.

"I cannot believe it I was not imagining it! Raven it really is you!" Reika cried happily as she embraced him, her face buried in his left shoulder. Raven embraced her back.

"Shh…Why don't you lie back down for now?" Raven suggested. Reika nodded and he helped her back over to the bed. Conor motioned to Lilith to exit the room with him.

"We'll go get Reika something to drink and eat." Lilith stated as she left the room with Conor.

"Ok." Raven said never taking his eyes off of Reika. He waited for the door to completely shut before he spoke again. "Reika I'm so sorry…Could you ever forgive me?" Raven said. Reika sat on the edge of the bed and he was kneeling in front of her.

"You did not know it was me." Reika stated weakly. "So do not keep bothering yourself over it. It is not your fault."

"I should've known though as soon as I even thought the Redler was yours. I should've tried to make communication sooner." Raven protested.

"You can say should have, would have and could have all night Raven and it will not change anything. It does not matter I could not be _happier_ that you and I fought. I cannot believe it…" Reika said. "I thought I would never see you again…" Reika finished leaning her head on his. Raven smiled.

"Funny I _almost_ thought the same thing." Raven replied. Reika placed both her hands on his face and leaned in closer to kiss him. Raven kissed back desperately locking his lips with hers. Both of them made a tiny moan before they broke off for air.

"I feel dizzy." Reika said smiling. "I do not think it is because of my head wound either." Raven chuckled a little and kissed her again. Luminescent and Shadow made mocking gag noises and curled back up to cover their faces.


	5. The 'Average' Conditions

**Chapter Four**

_The 'Average' Conditions._

"So you mean to tell me that Reika is a Zoidian, and that she and Raven are a couple who have been separated because of whatever Prozen did?" Lilith stated trying to understand what Conor was telling her as they walked back to Reika's room with a tray of food and drink.

"That's what he said." Conor answered sounding somewhat peeved.

"What don't tell me you feel _threatened_ by him Conor?" Lilith asked laughing a little.

"What the hell are you even babbling about Lilith?" Conor replied.

"You do don't you? Ha I can see it; the look on your face says it all. Ha." Lilith said walking ahead of him to the door. She knocked at first, no response. She walked in and she turned to see them both already passed out in bed, still in pilot uniforms. "Ah I see. Look-y there Conor." Lilith whispered as he entered. He glared at Lilith. "Aw. Don't they just look so cute! I don't think I've ever seen her happier before." Lilith said setting the tray down on the floor. Conor continued to glare at her as she spoke and made hand motions of speaking too much. "Oh waaah." Lilith mockingly whined as she pushed him aside to leave the room. Conor lingered looking at Raven holding Reika as they slept soundly. "Stop wishing it was you there and leave them be!" Lilith scolded.

"Oh will you just hush!" Conor snapped as he left.

"Conor be very aware that you don't frighten me in the least." Lilith said as they left the room and went down the corridors.

"Hey Haldor," Nirvan started in the office room as Haldor was sitting at his desk organizing more paperwork. "So what in your right mind allowed you to trust that Raven guy with Reika?"

"I'm not really sure I'll get back to you as soon as I figured it out for myself." Haldor replied. Nirvan stared at him clueless.

"So…You mean to tell me you just went off of pure instinct and let the guy take her out of her Zoid, after he just managed to almost kill her in a fatal throw?" Nirvan asked with sincere doubt in his voice.

"No, not instinct Nirvan. It is in simple terms 'common sense', and with common sense I deducted that he knew her." Haldor answered. "After all, who would just randomly run up to your opponents Zoid asking if they were fine after you just wrecked them?" Nirvan nodded.

"True, but still how did you know you could _trust _him? I mean yeah sure it's not the first time we've had a stranger come here but hell you've welcomed a renegade pilot!" Nirvan persisted. Haldor looked up annoyed at Nirvan, his cigarette slowly emitting smoke.

"Nirvan, I've let 5 renegade pilots into this headquarters and you know who they are?" He began. Nirvan could feel some tension. "You, Kama, Conor, Lilith and Reika. So shaddup, and if you're gonna let your face linger in here ya might as well help me with the god damn papers." Haldor finished. Nirvan sighed and pulled a chair up on the opposite side of the desk.

"I just don't get a good vibe from him Haldor…I mean he was ruthless out there, my Viper and Kama's took some really wicked damage." Nirvan said stacking some papers from a case done a month ago.

"Will ya stop your freakin' bellyachin' and relax. The mayor paid us double the original sum because Reika was injured. So I'm gonna send her and her boy-toy into town tomorrow to go see a special doctor to look at her head. Make sure nothing came loose in the accident." Haldor began. "Also to ease your worries I'm having her drop off her Redler as well and placing orders on new parts for you, Kama, and Conor seeing as you all took damage."

"Ah gee Haldor you shouldn't have." Nirvan replied smiling smugly.

"Oh don't thank me yet." He responded. Nirvan looked at him quizzically.

"Why's that?" He asked flatly.

"Cause your parts are being bought with your share of the sum." Haldor told him smiling. Nirvan looked at Haldor dejectedly, like a puppy that was just denied its treat.

"Oh…I guess I was going to spend it on that anyways…"

Kama hummed sweetly to herself as she trotted merrily down the corridors that made their winding way to the hangar.

"Oh hey Conor!" Kama greeted cheerfully as she saw Conor approaching her, holding his right eye. "Uh may I ask why you're holding your eye there, buddy?" Kama curiously pointed out. Conor sighed.

"I um…Apparently Lilith isn't "frightened in the least bit" by me." Conor muttered.

"So uh why would Lilith randomly give you a black eye?" Kama inquired.

"Because um…I was denying something and letting my anger get the better of me…" Conor muttered his answer again.

"Oh boy is this over Reika's close friend?" Kama asked, still sounding somewhat bubbly. Conor looked at her with denial written in bold print upon his face.

"Uh no of course not! What on Zi makes you think that?" Conor defended soundly nervous.

"Ha-ha! I figured as much. I would be jealous if I were you too, her friend is kinda cute." Kama stated. "Looks like Conor's got some comp-e-tion" She sounded out teasingly.

"Why on Zi are you and Lilith pointing out to me that this guy is…is…I guess in the way?" Conor was trying to word without admitting what he truly meant. Kama began to laugh a little more at Conor's predicament.

"Oh come on we aren't _stupid_ Conor. Lilith had seen you attempting to flirt with Reika since she got here three years ago. Besides that every time I see her in the gym you're not too far behind you little perv!" Kama teased playfully. Her voice and tone light hearted and childish the entire time. Conor's face lit up bright pink. "Aha see I am right. Your face proves it." Kama stated triumphantly. Conor stood there speechless at Kama's declaration of his embarrassment. Kama walked by him, humming to herself again. "If I were you, I'd move on while I still had the chance!" Kama told him, returning to her tune.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sahara~**Yeah, just kind of a filler chapter. I wanted to get the newer characters into the story a bit more, show their personalities off so they aren't those cookie-cutter kind of characters that are just kind of there (I'm using 'Kind of' an awful lot...) Anyways I promise there will definetly be more of Reika, Raven and their precious Organoids in the next chapter. Actually I think I can promise some hilarity in the next one. Can't you just imagine Raven going out on _errands_ like the doctor's and the mechanics! Hope you enjoyed it, I know it lacked a bit of action. **


	6. Errands

**Chapter Five**

_Errands_

Reika stirred a little in her sleep. She turned over and instinctively snuggled herself closer to Raven. Raven didn't seem the least bit disturbed by her motion. Both slept soundly, surprisingly since the two Organoids were wrestling around once again like they used to way back when.

Luminescent got free of a hold Shadow had on her and loomed over the bed. She saw Reika's breathing get somewhat shallow. Luminescent began to nuzzle Reika, waking her up. Groggily Reika opened and closed her eyes. She snuggled in closer to Raven to hide her face from the dim light in the room. Luminescent and Shadow looked at them in a puzzled manner. What could they do to wake the duo up? Shadow knew.

He jumped on the foot of the bed and both Reika and Raven flew about half a foot into the air.

"Shadow!" Raven shouted. Shadow snickered a bit and Luminescent seemed to be taken aback by Raven's shout. Reika rubbed her eyes and looked over at Luminescent.

"Luminescent…why did you both try to wake us up?" Reika asked sounding more than tired. They shrugged. Both Reika and Raven sighed as they lied back down, and the Organoids both attempted to crawl in with them but Reika and Raven kicked them off once the support on the bed creaked. Once Reika and Raven got comfortable one more time there was a knock at the door. Reika sighed and pressed her head against Raven's shoulder like a pillow.

"Come in!" She called turning around and sitting up. Haldor walked in.

"Ok lover-boy here's the deal. This one right here," Haldor started off pointing at Reika. "Needs to go to the doc's today to make sure whatever was loose in her head to begin with didn't fall completely out. And she needs to take her Redler to a shop in the same town. Guess who gets to go?" Haldor finished addressing Raven.

"Good I wasn't going to let anyone else go." Raven replied.

"That's what I thought stud now get outta bed with her and the both of ya go get ready." Haldor stated exiting the room. Raven peered quizzically at him as he left.

"He always like tha-," Raven didn't even finish before Reika answered him

"Yes, yes he is." Reika answered flatly. Raven nodded. Shadow and Luminescent stared at their tired human companions and went back to playfully wrestling with one another. Reika swung herself out of bed and headed in the direction of a door across the room.

"Where're you going?" Raven asked confused.

"To shower. How about you go eat breakfast while I get ready then you can get ready. Or ask to use Conor, Nirvan or Haldor's showers?" Reika suggested.

"Nah. I can hang out here until your done." Raven answered.

"Ok." Reika replied as she began to walk further to the door. Once she reached out and had her hand on the door handle she pulled it back quickly to hold her head. Raven was out of the bed and at her side quicker than someone could have asked what was wrong.

"Reika you ok? Does your head hurt?" Raven asked frantic, as he placed his hands on her for support. Reika pulled her hand away from her head slowly.

"I am fine. Just a really sudden headache is all. I am fine really." Reika insisted. "I will be quick so we can get to the doctors ok?" She finished entering the bathroom and shutting the door quickly behind her. Raven was surprised at how fast she removed herself from the room.

Reika leaned against the wall in the bathroom taking in deep breaths. She didn't want Raven to see her in pain because of the accident. Her head was pounding as she held it. "Ouch…" She muttered as she suddenly felt a sharp pain strike the side of her head. She felt something warm. Reika pulled her hand off her head again and saw the crimson of blood shimmering on the tips of her first three fingers. "_Well, there is where the injury was…_" Reika thought glumly gazing at her fingertips. She shook off the headache and began getting ready.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Conor picked at his eggs at the table in the kitchen. Kama and Lilith exchanged glances at one another and began to chuckle a little. Knowing full well why Conor was acting like a small child. Conor shot them a glare and Nirvan raised his eyebrow.

"I want to laugh too. Why don't one of you guys tell me what's so funny?" Nirvan asked coolly. Conor shot him a glare.

"Nirvan, does it look like I'm 'threatened' by Raven's presence in Reika's life?" Conor asked. Nirvan burst out into laughter.

"Wow. Really that was funny I'm glad one of you guys told me!" Nirvan said. Conor brought his head down onto the table with a thud.

"I hate you all." He mumbled through the wood.

"Conor, you are way more than threatened. You've made the endangered list my friend." Nirvan responded picking up his empty plate and brought it into the kitchen where Haldor was cleaning some pot in a sink. He placed down and Haldor picked up a large spatula and smacked Nirvan in the head.

"Nirvan! I've taught you better ya good for nothin'! Clean your own damn plate!" Haldor pointed out.

"But you're using the sink!" Nirvan replied covering his head with his hands.

"There is another one right behind you dumb-ass…" Haldor pointed out angrily.

"Oh…yeah…right." Nirvan stammered as he turned around to clean his plate. Conor began to chuckle.

"Serves you right saying I'm on the endangered list." Conor said putting some scrambled egg in his mouth. Kama looked up from her cereal.

"Oh good morning Raven did you sleep well last night?" Kama openly asked aloud, not caring much about Conor's esteem. He had some overconfidence to last him a life time. Raven looked over at her confused by her welcoming behavior.

"I slept fine, thank you for asking." Raven replied somewhat confused. Conor gave a low scoff. Raven gave him a quick glance and sat at the seat next to Kama's, where Nirvan was previously sitting.

"So how do you and Reika know each other?" Kama inquired taking a bite of her cereal again.

"Well I used to be her bodyguard at the palace when Prozen used us in his plans to destroy Zi." Raven summed up. Kama looked even more interested.

"From the way you reacted to her being hurt you seem to care about her an awful lot." Kama stated.

"I love her." Raven responded to her statement. Conor cringed.

"Aw that's so sweet! So how'd you two fall in Looooove?" Kama inquired all too enthusiastically. Raven was continuing to get creep-ed out by Kama's way of speaking. Conor picked up his plate.

"I'm outta here. I'll see you guys later I'll be in the hangar analyzing the Hound Soldier." He stated not sounding like the usually laid back guy he was. He put his plate up and left in a huff.

"Anyways," Lilith stated. "I'm interested too. I need a good romance tale, since I can't get anyone here to run up to the nearest book store and get me a novel." Lilith said with some malice directed in Haldor and Nirvan's direction.

"Shaddup!" Both the remaining guys shouted at her over the running sinks.

"Well, I found her in the ruins in a pod with her Organoid," Raven started.

"Oh my _god_ she's a Zoidian that is so freakin' cool. Sorry please continue." Kama interrupted.

"and after I found her Prozen adopted her as his daughter and set me in charge of watching her and escorting her places. From there on we began to love each other and couldn't stand being apart." Raven finished.

"That's so romantic. I can't believe Reika was hiding this from us the entire time." Lilith stated taking a sip of her coffee.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Conor walked glumly through the corridors leading into the hangar, past Reika's room. He saw Reika exit her room in her pilot's uniform…with her hair down? Conor saw her walk out with both the Organoids following behind her and Luminescent trailing extra close. Reika held her head with her left hand and closed her door with the right.

"Are you ok Reika?" Conor asked sincerely. Reika turned her attention to him and removed her left hand from her head.

"Oh I am fine. Head hurts a little but I am fine really." Reika answered smiling nervously. Luminescent shook her head. She began to walk by Conor and he had stopped her.

"Are you sure you're ok? Your hair is down and you were just holding your head the entire way outta your room." Conor asked. Reika sighed.

"If you let me pass maybe I could find out if I am truly ok on my way to the doctor's today." Reika responded. Conor looked dejected as he lowered his arm. Reika continued to walk by and quickened her pace. She made it about a yard and a half away from Conor before she collapsed. Conor made it to her side and Luminescent only growled at him, so did Shadow.

"Do you need help getting wher-," Conor was abruptly interrupted.

"_No_! I am fine." Reika responded in a serious tone. She was holding her head with both hands, then she struggled to get up and Conor helped her up. "Please…Conor, do not inform Raven of this." Reika requested. Conor looked at confused.

"Why not I think someone needs to know?" Conor asked.

"It would kill him to know the injury I sustained in our confrontation is doing this to me." Reika answered. "So please…for me." Reika added almost desperately.

"Hey, is everything ok?" Raven asked as he walked towards them. Conor let go over Reika so she can stand on her own. She shot Conor a look, and he didn't bother facing her.

"Yes it is Raven. Are you ready to go?" Reika asked changing her mood instantaneously. Raven approached her and wrapped an arm around her waist and they exchanged smiles. "Conor were you heading to the hangar?" she asked. Conor nodded and started to walk after they did. Conor glared at Raven as he walked behind them several paces. He was jealous, and Raven could sense it.

They finally reached the Hangar, and Luminescent wandered over to the Redler and fused with it. Raven and Reika were making their way onto a different holding deck where Raven's Genobreaker was being held.

"Hey Raven. C'mere." Conor called out. Raven told Reika to go on ahead to the pad with Shadow.

"What do you want?" Raven asked crossing his arms across his chest, seemingly hostile.

"Earlier when we were in the hallway Reika lost her balance and collapsed. Also right before that when she was exiting her room she was holding her head the entire time until she heard me call out to her." Conor informed.

"Ok. Thank you." Raven said closing his eyes and turning back to go to the Genobreaker.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reika sat with her legs across Raven's lap in the Genobreaker. There was no backseat in this Zoid so they had to make the best of what little space it provided. Reika shifted uneasy in her seat and looked extremely fatigued.

"What did Conor want while were leaving?" Reika asked.

"Just telling me about your fall." Raven stated flatly. Reika sighed.

"I did not want to tell you so you did not have to feel guilty about the injury." Reika stated before he could ask.

"It's ok; I figured that was why you didn't say anything. But were you going to say anything to the doctor in front of me?" Raven asked. Reika went silent. "That's the only reason I would've really needed to know." Raven finished.

"I am sorry." Reika said in a whispered tone.

"It's ok really. Look we're almost to the town." Raven pointed out. Reika went silent again and just stared out the cockpit the rest of the way to the town. Raven saw her struggling to stay awake.

They finally reached the town and they parked the Genobreaker on the outskirts of it. Luminescent flew the Redler over to the Mechanics right there at the entrance of the town. Reika, Raven and Shadow caught up to the Redler at the shop and walked on in.

"Hello?" Reika called out. Amongst the machinery she saw some brawny men working on parts and several Zoids lined up. One man started walking over to her and company in a matter of minutes.

"Hey there, you need something?" The man asked. Reika nodded.

"I am here to drop of my Redler for Repairs and place an order for some parts on three other Zoids. The person who called in a day ago was named Haldor…" She was cut off as the mechanic nodded.

"Yup I know what you need. I'm good friends with Haldor and I did the order for him already. They'll be ready to pick up once you come to get your Redler. All you need is a new wing blade and a full on inspection right?" He stated.

"Yes sir." Reika responded.

"Ok I'll be seeing you guys around then." The mechanic waved them off going to take a look at her Redler.

~*~

Reika leaned her head on Raven's shoulder in the waiting room at the local clinic. She was trying very hard to keep her eye lids from closing but was slowly losing the fight. Raven placed an arm over her shoulder and held her closer. Luminescent and Shadow were making a scene by just standing in the room. Little kids were playing with them like they were jungle gyms. Luminescent held her tail up and found that one of the small boys had latched on. She gave a grunt of shock as she gently set him back down. Shadow was laying on the ground as toddlers decided it to be fun to ride his back like he was a merry-go-round horse.

"Why did we bring them in here?" Raven asked sounding nervous about the Organoids being around small children.

"Because we couldn't leave them outside where someone could make a commotion and abduct them." Reika answered. She couldn't help but let out a suppressed giggle as Shadow began to walk leaning forward so the toddlers could stay on his back.

"My organoid has been turned into a little kid's ride…" Raven groaned. Luminescent saw one of the younger kids crying about something nearby and went over to investigate. She looked down at the little girl quizzically and picked her up by the back of her shirt collar. There were some muffled gasps in the room as she did this. Luminescent sniffed the air a couple of times and then went towards a woman in the corner of the room and handed her the girl. Luminescent grunted something at her and the lady only stared and nodded in awe at the purple giant.

"She's just telling you your daughter needed you." Reika called down to her. The lady turned to her and stammered. The Organoid was nuzzling the little girl making her laugh instead of cry. "_She'd make a good mother…_" Reika thought. "Or even just a babysitter…" Reika said in a whispered tone.

"What Reika?" Raven asked confused. "I didn't hear you."

"Oh it was nothing. Just thinking aloud on accident." Reika corrected. A nurse exited the doctor's office.

"Reika?" She called out. Reika and Raven got up and the Organoids rushed over to their human companions. "Uh I'm sorry, they have to remain out here…the office isn't big enough for them." The nurse stated. Luminescent and Shadow sighed and went back to playing with the children. Reika giggled again and Raven actually became amused by Shadow's way of coping with small children. They entered the office and Reika sat down on the patient's bed and Raven stood next to it, with his arms crossed. The doctor approached them both with a clipboard.

"Hello, so you must be Reika. I'm Dr. Hesson." He introduced by holding out his hand. She shook his hand and he moved his hand over to Raven. Raven shook it and introduced himself.

"Ok so when I got the appointment reason it says here you sustained a blow to the head. Do you mind telling me how this occurred?" Dr. Hesson asked. Both Reika and Raven seemed a bit weary to answer the question. "Was this some sort of domestic dispute?" Dr. Hesson addressed Raven.

"I would never harm her on purpose Dr." Raven replied. "We were out practicing in the Zoids and her Redler was thrown and she was shaken up in her cockpit." Raven lied. The Doctor nodded, and wrote the cause down.

"Ok so let me inspect your head here, was there any obvious injury or did you just black out?" The Doctor inquired.

"There is a laceration." Reika answered pointing to where it was. The doctor moved her hair out of the way to take a look at it. He made note of it on his clipboard.

"Did you black out?" He asked.

"Yes I did." Reika answered.

"Did you remember what happened?"

"Mostly." She responded.

"Have you felt dizzy since the accident?" Dr. Hesson asked again.

"Yes."

"How about any headaches?" He inquired.

"Some very painful ones. Not a lot thought." Reika answered.

"Loss of balance?" The Doctor asked.

"Yes."

"Now have you been fatigued?" He asked.

"No…wait, never mind yes I have." Reika answered. The doctor made note of all her answers. Reika and Raven both felt an uneasy feeling growing in their stomachs. The doctor went over to a cabinet and pulled out a sheet of paper and began to write on it. He handed it over to Reika and cleared his throat.

"It just sounds like a mild concussion. This happens often especially in Zoid pilots. The impact of them being shaken up in a battle can actually cause minor ones to occur. If you are an active pilot you probably get them all the time and don't even realize it. This kind of concussion just needs time and rest to heal properly. Headaches, loss of balance, amnesia, fatigue and dizziness are common symptoms. I suggest that you not pilot a Zoid until you can think clearly." The Doctor instructed. He pointed at the list in her hands. "This is a list of other symptoms that may or may not occur for a while. If they do however I urge you to return to me and we will go deeper into it." The Doctor explained. Reika nodded and she and Raven were heading out of the room. "You guys have a nice day." The doctor said.

"You too." Raven called back. They went back into the waiting room and the Organoids were not far from overjoyed to see them. "C'mon guys let's go get the Redler and the parts and go home."

~*~

Luminescent took over the Redler again and Shadow fused with a rented Gustav to carry the other parts back to the plateau headquarters. Reika sat there in silence with Raven again as she watched the lower afternoon sun begin to set and turn the desert orange. She unfolded the list of symptoms and read over them.

"You feeling ok Reika?" Raven asked.

"Yeah I am." Reika responded sounding tired. "I just want to go to bed when we get home." She added.

"Hopefully we won't have to go back." Raven stated.

"Yeah…hopefully." Reika agreed, shutting her eyes a bit as she saw her Redler flying low. She didn't want to comply to the Doctors orders. She couldn't be separated from the sky and the stars.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**I think...I gave myself a concussion writing this piece. I finished it in my word document with over 3,000 words. It took me the entire day and two cans of Mountain Dew...I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope I balanced the hilarity and the seriousness of the events. I know I enjoyed writing the parts with Shadow and Luminescent. R&R S'il vous plait et Merci beacoup :) ~Sahara**


	7. Not a 'Bad' Idea

**Chapter Six**

_Not a 'bad' Idea_

Reika lay there in bed, with her hair down and in a black nightgown. She sighed. She had difficulty trying to sleep. She turned over onto her other side and sighed. She felt tired as hell, she even knew her concussion as making her even more tired, but her mind would not stop. Luminescent placed her head on the side of the bed and purred. Reika pet the top of her head affectionately. Luminescent went back to her makeshift nest with Shadow and curled up next to him. Raven wasn't back from dinner yet. Reika gazed over at the door longingly and sighed. She tossed and turned for another five minutes. Finally the door creaked open and Raven walked in. Reika turned around and sat up.

"You're not asleep yet?" Raven asked in a quiet tone. Reika shook her head. "You ok?" Raven asked as he sat down on the side of the bed.

"I am fine. Or at least I feel fine." Reika answered lying back down. Raven ran a hand through her hair and got back up to take his pilot suit off and get a more comfortable ensemble on for bed. Reika turned her head to face the wall the bed rested beside. She felt her cheeks flare up. Raven pulled a pair of shorts he had packed in a rucksack he had stowed on the Genobreaker. He went back over to the bed and saw Reika just staring at the wall. He sat back down on the bed and she sat up and pulled her knees up and rested her head on them.

"Were you just embarrassed?" Raven asked in a lighthearted tone. Reika looked at him confused.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Well you looked away while I changed." Raven stated.

"Oh." Reika peeped. She shrugged. "I do not know how accurate my memory of…then…is now but I remember you telling me it was inappropriate for a man or woman to change in front of a person of the opposite gender." Raven gave her a quizzical look and then it hit him.

"I remember that." He chuckled. "That was when you stayed in my room when I tried to change. That was the first or second day we actually spent time together." He responded. "But you forgot one thing." Raven stated. Reika cocked her head in confusion.

"What did I forget?" Reika inquired. Raven gave her a soft kiss.

"I said it was inappropriate if they weren't _dating_." Raven corrected, giving her another kiss. Reika gave a smile to his last comment. Raven gazed right into her eyes; he couldn't believe how different she had become. But at the same time he couldn't believe how much of her actually remained the _same_. The way she giggled, laughed, even her smile seemed to carry the same old innocence she had when they first fell in love four years ago. He took a really good look at her. Reika's hair had grown out of course and the pigment had somehow become darker, shading from the light lilac to darker amethyst. Her eyes changed from a light emerald to a jaw dropping jade color.

Then he made a mental note onto how all he really did was just go on a giant killing spree…

He hadn't seemed to change one bit. Killing just to kill, destroying Zoid after Zoid because he detested them, going through and wiping town after town out just because he had nothing better to do. He felt like after he lost the fight with Van, Reika was the only good thing left for him. To his dismay upon returning to the palace, he just shut his emotions off completely knowing that she probably was gone from his life for good. Raven wandered and just left chaos in his wake. He questioned his own nature now; how could he be so destructive while how Reika coped seemed to be more constructive? Seizing men seeking political asylum or running from fate for money.

"Are you ok Raven?" Reika asked. Raven looked back up at her face. "You just kind of began to stare off into nothing." Reika explained.

"I'm fine; I was just lost in thought." Raven answered. "Why don't we just go to bed, I can tell you are exhausted." Raven insisted as he caressed her face. Reika shrugged weakly and lied back down.

"I do not know about exhausted but fatigued sounds more like it." Reika said as she snuggled into Raven again. Raven placed his arm affectionately over her and they both fell asleep.

~*~

Conor grunted in frustration as he missed a couple of targets in the Zoids simulator located in the office above the hangar. Instead of taking the Hound Soldier out this late at night and risk damaging it or anything else he decided to just use the practice simulator. He focused his sights on the computerized enemy rev raptors.

"C'mon!" He shouted as he fired aimed and took fire upon them. He hit them both in the cockpit areas and sent them out of commission. Suddenly the computerized cockpit started to alert him of an "incoming enemy" behind him, He didn't turn around quickly enough and a rev raptor sliced at his cockpit. The screen flashed "Simulation Finished" and he leaned back in a frustrated manner. He still had some steam to let off. All day he had to deal with Kama and Lilith reminding him that Reika was out of his league. "Endangered list my ass…" Conor scoffed as he put the make believe controls up and left the simulator. He exited it and peered out the office window. He pressed his forehead against the glass and looked down at the Genobreaker. "Why is it _everywhere_ I seem to look I see something that reminds me of that bastard?" He muttered to himself.

"I don't know maybe it's a sign?" Lilith entered answering his muttered rhetorical question.

"Lilith will you stop that." Conor growled.

"Stop what? Speaking the truth." Lilith answered smugly.

"Stop speaking. Period…" Conor retorted glaring at her. Lilith mocked him by growling like a feline.

"Feisty tonight aren't we? I actually came up here to see if I could cheer ya up but I guess not." Lilith shrugged. Conor scoffed.

"Of course you did. I mean you've only been bringing me down the past two days since that bastard got here." Conor added.

"Well sorry if I'm only being realistic for you Conor. I just don't want to see you get hurt over something so trivial and easily avoided." Lilith retorted.

"Please tell me how this entire thing was easily avoided? Huh Lilith?" Conor snapped. "None of us could control what happened out there, none of us had a little crystal ball to tell us 'impending love triangle awaits you'." Conor added maliciously. Lilith was taken aback by his sudden outburst. Conor stormed on past her and out of the office.

"Where are you going this late?" Lilith asked concerned as she turned around to see him flinging open the door. Conor didn't bother answering her as he slammed the door and Lilith flinched at the intensity of it. She watched him storm off to the Hound Soldier. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean to hurt you." Lilith murmured.

~*~

Conor pushed the Hound Soldier's thrusters to maximum as he ran through the desert towards the town closest to their HQ. He finally reached the town and parked the Hound outside the town. He walked into the town through the entrance and trudged onwards with his hands in his pockets. He looked around found a tavern. He shrugged and walked in.

"A little something to drink never killed anyone…" He mumbled. Conor walked in and took a seat at the bar a couple of stools away from an old man smoking a cigar. The bartender saw Conor sit down and turned over to him.

"Would you like something to drink sir?" The bartender asked.

"Yes please." Conor responded.

"What would ya like?" He asked again.

"Just give me a beer…" Conor answered. The bartender went to the back and began to fill a glass for Conor. The old man turned to Conor as he sighed.

"So what's got you down? I don't see many youngins in here this late unless there's something troublin' them." The man asked in a gruff, guttural voice. Conor averted his attention to the old man as the bartender slid his drink to him. The old man caught it as it slid past a distracted Conor.

"Huh? Hey!" he replied as the old man slid him his drink back. "What's got me down?" Conor responded befuddled.

"Yeah son. Why the hell you here?" He asked again.

"Nothing…Why do you want to know?" Conor responded again.

"Well kid you'd be surprised how well a stranger could help you out." The bartender butt in. Conor was confused by the somehow "welcoming" manner of the men. "Since you won't tell us what happened why don't we just guess?" The bartender added.

"Sure…" Conor said befuddled. The bartender looked at him long and hard.

"It has something to do with a girl." He stated. Conor nodded, shocked.

"Aha! Some man is trying to make a move on your woman!" The Old man announced bringing a fist down on the bar, making Conor's beer jump.

"Geeze! Yes ok you guys guessed!" Conor yelped as he caught his beer. He let out a sigh of relief that it didn't spill anywhere on him. "It's kind of like that at least." Conor said sadly. The old man nodded.

"She's the girl of your dreams and here comes some black knight who steals away her and her heart!" The old man narrated dramatically.

"No, more like an impossible crush who's ex-boyfriend has magically reappeared after four years of separation." Conor corrected.

"Oh…I was close enough." The old man waved. Conor took a sip of his beer. The bartender looked at him expectedly.

"So what are you going to do about it?" He asked Conor. Conor put his beer down and looked puzzled.

"To be honest I didn't plan on doing anything. He apparently loved her first…" Conor replied.

"Horse-crap! You gotta fight kid!" The old man announced again letting a fist back down on to the bar. This time Conor was prepared and lifted his mug up.

"For what a girl who doesn't care about me?" Conor retorted taking another sip.

"Fight and prove to her the guy's she's with is a load of bologna! Make his ass look weak and she'll dump him in a heart beat!" The old man went on.

"Or if you kick his ass hard enough he'll be afraid to ever show his face around you again and all she'll have left to pick is you!" The bartender added. These two were more into his drama than he was. But, he liked the idea they were giving him. Conor stood up and chugged the rest of his drink.

"Thank you guys very much!" Conor shouted slamming the money for the drink down. "Now I have to be heading off so I can go challenge this creep for my girl!" He waved them off and hurried out the door. The bartender started to count his money as the old man chuckled heartily at his accomplishment.

"Hey that kid was a dollar off! Son of a bitch…" The bartender whined and the old man cracked up even more and fell off of his stool in laughter.

Conor entered the HQ after dawn broke. He walked into the kitchen, his hair a little messy and semi-dirty from the short trips in and out of the town with sandstorms flying around him.

"Conor! Where the hell did you run off to last night?" Haldor boomed from in the dining area.

"No where you need to know…" Conor responded. He looked over at Lilith and Reika at the table and Lilith looked like she hadn't gotten any sleep at all, while Reika looked at him with an expression of worry. Something she never did.

"Yeah no where we need to know my ass Conor! Some of us were genuinely worried!" Haldor retorted.

"We weren't…" Nirvan and Kama both simultaneously said with food in their mouths.

"Didn't I say some? Geeze what's with you damned adolescents and being smart-asses towards me?" Haldor muttered.

"My apologies Haldor, I was just in the desert for some fresh air." Conor lied swiftly. Raven didn't fall for it like Haldor did.

"Well we can see that, go get washed up and I'll come up with some form of punishment for you later." Haldor pointed out. Conor smirked as he walked by Reika and Raven into the hallway. Kama caught the look on his face as he and Raven exchanged unfriendly glances.

"I can't believe him sometimes…" Lilith groaned as she leaned her head on her hands.

~*~

Raven followed Reika into the hangar to work on the systems in the Redler. Raven stood just outside the Redler as Reika worked on the systems in the cockpit. Raven looked around her cockpit and saw it still had the backseat. He smirked at his idea and hopped into the back of it.

"Raven?" Reika started off in a confused tone. He brought the seatbelts over and clicked them in.

"Why don't you show me what you learned without me?" Raven said. Reika smiled and fixed her systems up. She pulled the seatbelt over herself and closed the cockpit.

"You ready?" Reika said as she hit a button that remote controlled the opening to the hangar.

"Ten-four." Raven replied. She brought the Redler up and flew out off the roof of the plateau and into the afternoon sky.

"You certain I should be piloting?" Reika asked.

"You're not doing anything dangerous like combat so I'm sure it's fine." Raven answered.

"Ok." Reika replied. She decided it would be good to show him how much she learned by doing some aerial acrobatics. She twisted and turned doing flips and loops over clouds. She brought the boosters up as she looped and then turned it into a twist. "You want to know what a real rush is Raven?" Reika asked almost giggling.

"Oh no." Raven muttered. She brought the Redler up as high as she could bring it without the masks on, and then went straight into a dive bomb. Raven gripped the armrests in his seats, since he wasn't used to being this high up and suddenly dropping. Reika put the thrusters down half way and pulled the Redler up moments before hitting the ground. Reika let out cheers of excitement. Raven took in a few labored breaths and sighed with relief.

"Wow. You were right that is a rush." Raven stated. Reika giggled as she directed the Redler back to HQ.

~*~

Conor muttered curses as she put and pulled the mop out of the bucket and mopped the bedroom corridor. Suddenly he heard Reika laughing from down the corridor. He looked over and saw Raven and her holding hands. Conor glowered at Raven as they were distracted by one another's company and went back to mopping. They went towards Reika's room and they opened the door and their Organoids exited greeting them warmly. Luminescent almost tackled Reika.

"Whoa down girl. I cannot rough-house remember?" Reika stated as her Organoid grunted at her.

Conor just kept to himself, he didn't want to look up and just infuriate himself as Raven walked by. He had to think of a time where he could catch Raven by himself, or just maybe when Reika was distracted by something or someone.

~*~

"Come on Raven let's go watch the sunset." Reika insisted pulling him down the corridor.

"I'm surprised you're not tired!" Raven stated as he was being dragged along. Luminescent and Shadow stifled some chuckles of their own as they went through the hangar and up the stairs to the top of the plateau. Reika caught a glimpse of the Genobreaker before they made it up the stairs. She and Raven took a seat near the edge to watch the sunset and bring all of its warmth with it. Reika leaned her head on Raven's shoulder.

"Raven, how did you come to posses the…Genobreaker?" Reika asked nervously. Raven looked down at the sands with a saddened expression. Reika looked up expectantly, waiting patiently for his answer.

"Well, you see…It really all started after we were separated four years ago." Raven started. "I went to look for you and I couldn't find you…I ended up just wandering through the desert with Shadow, taking any Zoid I could and just annihilating anything and everything. I was like that before when I worked for Prozen and I tried at all costs to make sure you never saw that side of me. The side that just kills and destroys for almost no apparent reason." Raven looked away from her. "I obtained another Genosaurer around the same time I found Van again, and nearly after I got it Shadow merged with it and turned it into the Genobreaker." Raven explained. He peered back over at Reika to see her expression. Her eyes were transfixed on the setting sun. Raven looked down at her, trying to hide the shame he had on his face. Reika wrapped her arm around Raven's tightly. She turned her face into his shoulder.

"I knew I should have stayed at the mansion…I knew Van was wrong about you being dead but I did the same thing…" Reika stated flatly, hiding her own shame. "I just went so numb, if someone paid me enough I would go out and kill someone…Whether I knew for a fact this person did something or not." Reika added, showing some strong emotion on her last words. The memories of her last assignment came back to her, Otis and the Guysack. "I killed a man in the street, right before he got to his Zoid…" She whimpered. Raven quickly unlatched her from his arm and embraced her as the sky started turning shades of dark purple.

"It's ok…" Raven said as he held her tight. He wasn't the only one ashamed of what he had done during the time alone. "At least the people you were killing had more of a chance, and were more than likely criminals…" Raven whispered to her. He helped her up and they went back down into the HQ. He led her down into the bedroom corridor and she went ahead to her room. Raven stayed right outside the door.

"You coming in?" Reika asked confused.

"Yeah I will be in a minute, go ahead and get ready." Raven said as he turned down the corridor back into the hangar. Reika entered the room.

Raven walked into the hangar and looked over near the office entrance and saw Conor standing there. Raven saw him earlier as he and Reika walked in. Raven approached him with a stoic expression. Conor had a smirk plastered on his face.

"Hey there Raven." Conor greeted. Raven scowled at him.

"Ok what do you want? You've been giving us weird looks ever since you got back here, and you hiding out here since we went up there isn't exactly the least suspicious thing to do." Raven started. Conor shrugged and walked up into the office. Raven followed. Once the door was shut Conor began to speak.

"So I've got a challenge for you." Conor started.

"What kind of challenge?" Raven almost sounded interested.

"Well you and me in a Zoids match." Conor started off. Raven was catching on.

"Reika's not a trophy you jackass, so don't think about starting a fight with me over this." Raven stated icily. Intent to kill was visible in his eyes.

"Not treating her like a trophy Raven chill out. I just wanted to say that if you won, I would give up on trying to win her heart for good." Conor started. "And if you lost…" Conor trailed off. Raven scoffed.

"You really think I would lose to an amateur like you?" Raven snapped.

"If you lost you'd leave here and never come back." Conor stated. Raven only glared at him.

"If you want to fight me, that's perfectly fine with me. But you're leaving Reika out of this." Raven answered. "You understand?" Conor chuckled.

"Think about it this way Raven, if you're as good as you claim to be you shouldn't be afraid of this little challenge. Since you plan on winning I would be out of your hair in the competition department for good." Conor stated. Raven still glared at him.

"You know attacking my ego through Reika isn't going to work. Like I said if you want to fight, fight me then. But Reika is not a part of our strife." Raven stated seriously again. Conor laughed a little.

"Fine then but I am going with our 'deal'. If I win you're outta here!" Conor said. Raven was already walking out of the office.

"At midnight, leave your room and meet me out here we'll take the Zoids out into the desert." Raven responded. "And it's not about Reika, I just want an opportunity to properly take my anger out on you."

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**Sorry this one took a while, I had temp-writers block on what would happen to lead up to the main event. Hope you enjoyed! ~Sahara**


	8. Dual in the Dust

**Chapter Seven**

_Dual in the Dust_

Conor stared out of the yellow glowing cockpit of his Hound Soldier. He saw the menacing size of the Genobreaker in the distance and gulped. He straightened his gaze and focused on Raven. The wind blew hard and loose dust in the sand filled the air. Conor started up communications with Raven.

"So where's your precious organoid?" Conor mused. Raven chuckled lightly.

"I don't depend on him like you seem to think Conor." Raven responded smirking. "You ready to go or what?" Raven inquired. Conor nodded and turned off his communications screen. Conor charged forward with his thrusters and his buster cannons firing. Raven raised his shield to block the incoming fire, dropped it and fired the 80mm beam gun at the Hound as it got closer. It grazed the left lance mounted on the Hound as Conor dodged it and directed himself to the right. Raven boosted his thrusters to tail the Hound. Conor pushed his thrusters to the limit so Raven couldn't out run him. Raven set his sights on the buster cannon mounted on the back. Raven fired his beam gun again and cleared the mount right off the Hound. Conor felt the impact of the cannon being blown off and turned around initializing his lances. He charged straight at Raven with the lances ready. Raven began to laugh to himself.

"You really aren't serious are you?" Raven rhetorically asked. He abruptly halted the Genobreaker and readied the right mounted X-breaker. Conor came up on his flank fast and Raven moved enough to grasp a lance and tear it off as he zoomed by. Conor felt the shake of the cockpit as it was ripped off. He could hear the loud sizzle of the electricity spark on the side. He slid to a halt in the dunes and sand flew up into the air.

"_Damn…Now I'm short a cannon and a lance..._" Conor thought frustrated.

"_If I rid him of his entire arsenal, he'll have nothing left but the lance and bite fangs. Luring him to a close combat situation would make it easy to use the charged particle gun._" Raven thought up, and smirked. "It's perfect." He muttered.

Raven readied his sights on the resting Hound in the distance. He initialized the 140mm shock gun and fired at him. Conor hopped out of the way and began run a circle around the Genobreaker. Raven kept him in his sights and raised the Genobreaker's boosters and hovered, to make the turns more smoothly. He fired ahead of the Hound and disabled one of the three barreled burst cannons in the chest of it. Conor switched directions and began to zigzag, to make it harder for Raven to target him. Conor leapt over dunes and sighted the Genobreaker. He paused in one dune and fired from both the remaining burst cannons. Raven fired at them neutralizing his shots.

"C'mon! Is that the best you got?!" Raven shouted.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Kama left her room yawning. She turned her head to see Lilith skittishly peering at Conor's door. She had lifted and dropped her hand as if she was nervous and reluctant to knock.

"Lilith…May I ask what you are doing at Conor's door this late?" Kama inquired. Lilith gasped as she heard Kama ask her the question.

"I um…Was gonna try to apologize about last night…" Lilith's face turned rosy pink. Kama nodded.

"Want me to knock and get it over with for you?" Kama asked as she walked next to her. Lilith began to debate it over a bit.

"Just hang around until he answers I guess." She responded. Lilith finally knocked and they both heard no response on the other side. "Huh, he can't be asleep now it's too early to him." Lilith muttered. She knocked again a little louder.

"Conor?" Kama called out. She went ahead and opened the door.

"Kama what if," Lilith started to exclaim until Kama finished it.

"He's not here!" Kama said. Both young ladies glanced at each other and ran to the hangar to check for the Hound Soldier. Low and behold the Soldier was missing.

"Kama go check for the Genobreaker…" Lilith instructed in a hushed breath. Kama nodded and ran to the other end of the hangar and into the office. She looked out the window where the Genobreaker would have been visible, and it too was not present. Kama raced back to Lilith.

"It's not here either!" Kama exclaimed.

"C'mon! We got to get Reika and the rest of us up and out looking for them before Conor gets himself killed!" Lilith said dashing off down the corridor. "You get Nirvan and Haldor I'll wake Reika and Luminescent up!" Lilith called back to her as she rounded the hallway to Reika's room. She ruthlessly knocked on her door and eventually gave up on Reika answering it so she barged in. "Reika wake up!" Lilith exclaimed switching on a dim light. Reika looked up with the blankets clutched to her chest.

"What is wrong Lilith you look scared?" Reika inquired drowsily sitting up, still covering herself with the blankets. Lilith was slightly befuddled by her lack of sleepwear but ignored it. Reika looked around. "Where is Raven?" She asked worried.

"Somewhere with Conor I assume. And I assume the worst." Lilith answered. Reika's eyes widened.

"Let me get changed I'll meet you and everyone else in the hangar!" Reika said as Lilith dashed out the door to go get ready her self as well.

~*~

Reika slipped her last boot on and ran out the door with both Shadow and Luminescent following right behind. She dashed down the corridors and made it to the hangar. She ran right past everyone as they waited and straight into the Redler.

"Luminescent!" She called out as she hopped into the cockpit. Luminescent fused with the Redler in a flash of purple and Reika initiated the launch pad from the cockpit. "Shadow, fly swiftly beside me." Reika instructed him as she was reaching the roof with Shadow standing on the wing. He roared and took off the wing flying and so did Reika. Lilith's Zabat was not far behind her in the air. Nirvan and Kama took their leave into the sand hoping to maybe sneak up on the missing duo and disrupt their skirmish. Haldor exited with the Iron Kong _Yeti _and groaned.

"I can't believe this…" Haldor groaned. Reika tried not to push the Redler's thrusters all the way so she wouldn't miss them underneath her. She set her sensors on high and pulled up some images from further out in the desert.

"_What's going on?_" Reika thought distressed. "You see them Shadow?" She asked over the Redler's intercom. Shadow roared back in dismay. Reika sighed. She gripped the controls on the Redler. Lilith pulled up in the Zabat next to her.

"Reika, you have any idea what time they may have left?" Lilith inquired. Reika sighed and tried to remember back to before she fell asleep. She closed her eyes and tried desperately to think of what was happening.

"I…I remember Raven coming back to the room seeming a bit tense." Reika managed to remember. Reika groaned out of frustration. "Lilith I do not know what is going on. What happened with Conor the night he ran off?" Reika asked.

"All I know is he got mad at me when we were talking about his jealously towards Raven." Lilith responded. "That's all I really know." Reika began to pick up something on her sensors. She gasped in excitement.

"I think that's them!" Reika shouted as she brought an image up. There they were entangled in their own dual. The Genobreaker had The Hound Soldier in a firm grasp with its extended grappling claw. The Hound was trying hard to keep its distance from the X-breaker and the Genobreaker itself. Sparks and some smoke emitted from all over the Hound. Reika zoomed in on the image and saw that Raven was charging the charged particle cannon. She gasped in fright this time. "Oh no…" she muttered.

"Reika what is that? Is that what I think it is…?" Lilith inquired. Reika's old memories of the beam flooded back, and Raven was getting close to firing time. There was only one thing left that she could do. She pushed the thrusters on high and brought the Redler down low.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Raven had Conor in a bind. He shot the remaining two burst cannons into oblivion and got a hold of him as soon as he tried to charge in with his remaining lance. He was slowly but surely pulling him closer and the charged particle beam was almost ready to fire. Until they both sensed something on their sensors Conor was going to be presumed a goner. Just as suddenly as their sensors picked it up the Redler had slammed into the Hound Soldier moving it out of the way of the charged particle beam. The beam fired and Raven, Conor, and Reika were all watching the beam with fear.

"_Reika no!_" Raven managed to shout. Reika let out a scream of fright as the back half of the Redler was struck with the beam and caught fire. Luminescent saved her and shot right out of the explosive Redler in a violet streak. Luminescent landed safely off in the dunes away from the carnage in the dust and Shadow landed next to her. Conor watched the Redler burn with an anxious, fear riddled gaze. Raven shook inside his cockpit, and watched with the same expression.

"What…did I just do…?" Raven murmured.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**So yeah I pulled that again but it will ALL be clear in the next chapter. I think I could've done better on the fight so criticism is not only welcome but wanted. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, I know it's not one of the best I've written, kinda rushed the chapter along. I promise something much more stimulating in Chapter 8 :) ~Sahara. **


	9. Commiserate

**Chapter Eight**

_Commiserate _

Raven let the Hound Soldier go out of the grappling claw. He exited the Genobreaker and ran all the way out to Luminescent in the desert with Shadow.

"Shadow! Luminescent!" Raven called out. Conor jumped on out of his cockpit. Lilith landed the Zabat next to the Hound Soldier and Nirvan and Kama surfaced without a clue as to what had exactly happened. Kama looked over at the wreck of a Redler and shrieked.

"Where's Reika!" She asked as her Zoid hissed in action for her. Lilith exited her Zoid and ran up to Conor.

"Conor…" She growled as she approached him. He averted his attention to her for a moment and was immediately punched in the face. "If it weren't for your arrogant attitude and immense jealously absolutely _none_ of this would have even occurred!" Lilith shouted and scolded. "I know you provoked him to fight you, I'm no dumb-ass!" Lilith added with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Y-your...crying?" Conor muttered.

"Course I'm crying you jack ass! Reika could be seriously hurt and for what? Your dumb male ego!" She added. Conor flinched and an expression of pure pain spread across his face.

Raven reached Luminescent and she let Reika out of her protective casing. Raven caught her as she was unconscious.

"Reika…Reika…" Raven called out. Reika was still out cold in his hold. Tears started to form in his eyes. "I can't believe I just hurt you again…" He buried his face into her shoulder. Luminescent loudly growled to get his attention. Raven looked up and Luminescent had opened up her protective shell and grey cords wrapped around Reika in his arms. Raven watched in sorrow as Luminescent took her in. She roared and then soared into the wrecked Redler. Raven watched from afar as Luminescent put the Redler up in a shield like cocoon that Shadow had placed his Genosaurer in before.

Conor, Lilith, Kama, and Nirvan were all speechless. Haldor approached the group in the _Yeti_ and analyzed the wreckage in the area. He exited his Zoid and joined the group gathered below. He looked Conor in the eyes and glared him down.

"Yes…Haldor, I did pick this fight." Conor answered as Haldor silently asked him. Haldor nodded. Raven had begun to make his way over to the group so he could be near the cocoon. He made it over there and remained silent. He kept some distance from them. Haldor averted his attention to him.

"Hey pretty boy…get yourself over here." Haldor called out to Raven. Raven expressionless trudged over to him. Haldor took Raven and Conor both by the backs of their heads and smashed them together. "As far as I am concerned both you adolescent _boys_ are held responsible for this drama! Conor it's on you for picking it Raven it's on you for even feeding into it!" Haldor exclaimed while his face turned scarlet red. Raven and Conor both held their heads in agony and watched Haldor get ready to erupt some more. "You guy's should've talked this out like men, or handled it like men. So in order to put this entire night's animosity behind your sorry asses you're _both_ going to remain out here to watch the…what-cha-ma-call-it over there that Luminescent zapped Reika into!" Haldor finished. Raven and Conor both stared at him in astonishment.

_

* * *

__Reika hummed softly to herself and Luminescent as they sat on the edge of a small ledge in the outskirts of town. _

_"Eclissi!" a soft feminine voice called out to her. She stopped humming and looked over to her left. She saw a girl with long mossy hair, beaming brown eyes and a light green crescent Zi mark on her right cheek jogging up to her with a huge smile on her face. _

_"Hello Verasi! What's up?" Reika asked. Verasi stopped as she reached her and caught her breath. _

_"Ibelya is at the hatchery right now, with my soon to be Organoid partner." Verasi grinned wildly. Reika smiled wildly with her. _

_"Well what are we waiting for! I want to go with you!" She exclaimed. "C'mon Luminescent." Verasi and Reika both ran back into the town. _

* * *

Raven sat cross-legged across from Conor in the sand next to the Redler's encasement. Conor and he merely exchanged hateful glances at one another.

"So, how does it feel?" Conor asked. Raven raised an eyebrow.

"How does what feel?" Raven responded peeved.

"To have come back into her life and in the time frame of less than a week wounded her twice. How does it feel?" Conor inquired again. Raven felt a pang of anger and hurt rush over him. His face revealed none of it though. "What? Afraid to answer me? Afraid you won't appear to be that oh-so stoic bad boy we all know?" Conor keep pressing. Raven was gritting his teeth. "You don't even feel guilty do you? Cause trust me I certainly do!" Conor finished before Raven finally let it all go.

"If anyone should be feeling guilty here it is me! After all I not only gave her a concussion I just nearly killed her!" Raven began to yell. "I'm not afraid of you in anyway Conor I could give a rat's ass what you think of me. I even told you that our strife had nothing to do with her and everything to do with just wanting to kick your ass and teach you a valuable life lesson. Which by the way did you learn it or am I going to have to reiterate it in the next few minutes?" Conor shut his mouth as Raven began to shout more. "Maybe if you didn't _try _to be like me and didn't challenge me we wouldn't be in this little piece of hell!" Raven finished.

"Maybe if you never came back to her, none of us would be in this 'little piece of hell' you're talking about!" Conor retorted.

_

* * *

__Verasi, Reika and Luminescent abruptly halted in the hatchery. They all looked around curiously at the Organoid eggs. They all appeared to look man-made but were really not. All the metal looked like a puzzle, pieced together and how the eggs hatched they weren't entirely sure. Reika, and Verasi had never seen it before and now that Ibelya told Verasi that her Organoid was going to be born, they were anxious to watch. Reika looked around and no sign of Ibelya yet .Luminescent walked around the corner that led to the beginning of another corridor of eggs and Obscura, Ibelya's organoid, jumped Luminescent playfully. Verasi and Reika shrieked just as Obscura suddenly appeared. Obscura was an interesting sight as an organoid. Her parent's were probably two different colors, seeing as she was robin egg blue and had a violet throat, and dark blue belly and tail tip. She had a sword like fixture that was flat on her snout. She playfully wrestled with Luminescent, a usual greeting between the Organoids of friends. Verasi and Reika both heard Ibelya laughing hysterically at them from the other side. They rushed down the corridor to see her holding a wiggling egg. _

_Ibelya's midnight blue hair cascaded down her shoulders like Verasi's did. Reika's however was up in a ponytail and fixed into place higher with a clip. Verasi and Ibelya were both only a couple years older than her, but it made all the difference with the way they dressed._

_Verasi wore a toga like dress that tied over her neck for support and wrapped around her chest to conceal. The off-white cloth covered her stomach but not her sides or back. She was 16, fit, and not given a heavy bust. She was a mature individual and handled any rude compliments very well. _

_Ibelya on another hand was the same age but because she had the privilege to work amongst the Organoids and in the hatchery, she wore a special set of robes. They rested just on her shoulders revealing her collarbone, were coordinated to match her own Organoid. Black, and blue tied themselves nicely around her figure and a purple sash was wrapped around her waist to touch it off. Her Zi mark, a complex __four-pointed dark blue circle-centered star surrounded by four small triangles and fourteen purple orbs around a circle, stood out underneath her right eye. Her shocking green eye color also stood out in her features. She had a heart pendant with a rose engraved in the middle of it. _

_Reika was just simply Reika. She was only 14 years old and was stuck with her hair up. She had to dress prim and proper not only because of she was from an upper middle class family but because she was so young. She wore a simple white long sleeved dress than slit on the sides of her thighs, but still managed to not be revealing. She also envied Ibelya and Verasi because they were also allowed to associate with boys their own age now. _

_The egg in Ibelya's arms continued to wiggle and writhe vigorously. She motioned for Verasi to take the egg from her hold and hold onto it herself. Verasi excitedly and carefully took the egg into her own firm hold. _

_"I can't wait, I really can't." She chanted happily. _

* * *

"You want to repeat that?" Raven growled as he shot up and grabbed Conor by his pilot suit collar.

"Yes actually." Conor snapped. "If you had never returned to her we would be just fine. We wouldn't be standing here arguing 'bout all this and sitting here worried sick 'bout Reika's life if it weren't for _you_." Conor elaborated. Raven's hand began to shake as he tightened his grip on Conor's collar. He gave a frustrated groaned and easily tossed Conor aside. Sand flew as he made impact, and he looked up to see Raven walking away with his fists clenched. "Where could you possibly be going _now_?" Conor shouted.

"Away from here." Raven retorted angrily.

"Don't you even care about what happens out here anymore!?" Conor shouted back to him.

"Oh I care, and that's _exactly_ why I'm leaving." Raven retorted once more. Conor watched him go with an expression of pure shock. What had he just done?

* * *

_Verasi cuddled the new born Organoid. It was green with a brown underbelly and had gold eyes. Reika, Ibelya, Luminescent and Obscura all huddled around her to take a good look at it. _

_"Aw I don't know what to name him…" Verasi pointed out. Ibelya, and Reika both stood in thought for a moment. _

_"Eclissi, you have any names?" Ibelya asked Reika. _

_"How about Verdant?" Reika suggested. "It means green, or lush. And I do believe Verasi and he both have green in their appearance." Reika answered grinning._

_"I love it that's a perfect name!" Verasi said holding Verdant closer. Verdant gave a small mechanical purr. _

* * *

Raven set up the cockpit of the Genobreaker and Shadow was reluctant to follow him as he started it up and headed off into the desert.

"_Conor's right…If I hadn't come back into her life none of this would have happened. She'd be ok, and I wouldn't have to leave her again…_" Raven thought sorrowful. He turned to take one last look at the Redler's encasement. "I'm sorry Reika…"

* * *

**Sorry that took a little longer to update than usual. I had to deal with some issues and get over some temporary writer's block yet again and I am finally back :) Hope you enjoyed it, and I'll have the next one up shortly. Big thank you goes out to Shadow Rebirth for letting me use Ibelya and Obscura :) Merci tres beaucoup  
~Sahara**


	10. Gilvader

**Chapter Nine**

_Gilvader_

Conor watched as the Genobreaker was lost beyond the dunes. He couldn't believe it. He single handedly just made everyone around him upset. One enough to leave. Conor just stared off into the sands, astounded by his own dumb deeds. Lilith walked over to his side and sat down.

"So, what just happened?" Lilith inquired, trying not to seem in the least bit upset with him.

"I-I'm not sure…" Conor answered. Lilith rolled her eyes. "I told him that if it weren't for him coming back into Reika's life she wouldn't be hurt right now…" Conor muttered. Lilith gawked at him.

"So you blamed him! You blamed it all on him!" Lilith shouted at him at the top of her lungs.

"Lilith I am so freaking through with you yelling at me like you're my mother or something!" Conor lashed back. Lilith was taken aback for a moment.

"I'm so through with your stupid, egotistical, insolent, and impulsive attitude that it's beyond freaking through!" Lilith retorted. "_You_ just can't be happy unless your screwing up someone else's life. Screwing up their feelings so it makes you feel better. Messing with their life so that maybe you could gain from it!" She shouted even louder now. "You're just so selfish it's unbelievable!"

"Like you are one to talk!" Conor shouted back. "You only sat there in total amusement as you made fun of me for not even being competition for Raven! Huh? Who has the sick, twisted side to them now Lilith?" He added furiously. "If anything you contributed to my ego needing a boost!"

"Oh no do _not_ blame any of this on me! I know when I do something wrong, and I go and apologize!" Lilith retorted.

"The hell with that you never apologized to me!" Conor stated.

"That's what I was about to do tonight when we found out you weren't in your room!" Lilith corrected.

"Bullsh-," Conor didn't get to finish due to Lilith slapping him hard across the face.

"You're such an ignorant bastard Conor…You think you are right 100% of the time. You also seem to think everyone has to bow down to you and kiss your ass. It's a wonder anyone like me would even have remote feelings for you. But then again you didn't know that because you're blinded by your own selfish needs to even notice!" Lilith got out in one breath, letting a couple of tears run down her face. She turned abruptly around in the sand and Conor reached out and grabbed her hand. She shook her hand loose and quickly barged off.

"I'm sorry!" Conor cried out. She stopped short where she was. "I'm sorry that I seem to screw up everything!" He added. He left the glowing encasement and headed off towards his Zoid. Lilith watched as he hopped into his cockpit and got the Hound Soldier up on its feet. He stormed off in a more dramatic fashion than Raven did and left them behind. A single tear ran down his face.

Lilith glanced over at the glowing orb. She gave a huge sigh and sat down.

"Reika…please…hurry back." She whispered.

* * *

Reika tried to open her eyes but every time she felt them move all she saw was black. Just the cold, dark, endless view of black.

"_Am I dead?_" She thought. She felt Luminescent call out to her. She felt connected to her Zoid as well. Like the life that was in them both was merged. She closed her eyes again and tried to view life on the outside. Not the endless vast dunes of sand beyond their headquarters, and not the cloudless skies she flew in either. But the starry speckled night, and the look of how water reflects the sun on a warm afternoon. Also how the grass waves when the wind blows. "_Why do these scenes soothe me so?_" She questioned. Some memories flooded back to her. She remembered something that involved those scenes. Her head began to hurt again. "Ow…" She muttered. She could feel her bond with the Zoid and Luminescent severing.

* * *

Lilith looked up from staring at the sand when she saw out of her peripheral the light glowing from the encasement changing. Haldor, Kama and Nirvan all rushed to the scene, and waited in anticipation with Lilith.

The light began to fade, and the encasement began to fall as well. A larger, more menacing Zoid stood in the Redler's place. It stood at about 16 meters, and appeared to look more like a dragon than the Redler ever did. It had a set of purple horns on top of it's head and had a red cockpit. The bas armor was black and it had purple plates over it on the legs, wings, and tail. It had saw-like weaponry mounted in the wings and on the back. Everyone beneath it gawked at it, and a beam of purple shot out from the center of it. Luminescent landed a little ways away from the Zoid and let Reika stumbled out of her. Lilith and Kama both rushed to greet and aid Reika as she nearly fell out of her Organoid.

"Reika, are you ok?" Lilith asked. Reika nodded and looked around.

"Where did…" She started weakly.

"We'll answer that later let's get you home." Kama interrupted. Reika felt very lightheaded and the last thing she saw was Kama and Lilith holding her up as Nirvan and Haldor rushed over them.

~*~

Lilith sat at Reika's beside yet again. She could see what Conor was getting at, but the first time it was a true accident Reika was injured by Raven. The second time, was because Reika cared enough to rescue Conor from being killed, which he should've known was going to happen battling Raven. Lilith sighed.

"That jerk…" She stated to herself and buried her face into her hands. Reika opened her eyes and leaned over.

"Yeah I agree with you." She muttered. Lilith gasped and looked up.

"Oh my GOD you're ok!" Lilith exclaimed as she hopped up and hugged her friend. Reika hugged her back weakly with one arm.

"Not entirely…" Reika replied sadly. Lilith broke off from their embrace and looked at her. Reika looked exhausted. Bags were now visible underneath her eyes, and in her eyes was sorrow. "Where did Raven go?" Lilith looked away not meeting her eyes for a moment.

"He uh…he left…" Lilith answered. Reika looked down dejectedly.

"Why?" Reika asked letting hurt escape.

"Because Conor is a jackass…he convinced Raven that if it weren't for him coming back you wouldn't be hurt at this very moment." Lilith explained. Reika nodded.

"Could you just…leave me alone for a little while?" She requested.

"Sure, do you need me to bring you back anything first or…"

"I am fine. Just please…" Reika answered as she turned over onto her other side, facing the wall.

"Yeah…course." Lilith responded as she walked out of the room. Reika curled up more. She let a couple of tears fall down her cheeks and nose.

"_Why…how could he leave me alone again?_" She thought. She closed her eyes tightly as she suppressed more tears. Luminescent looked up from her makeshift nest in the corner of the room. She saw Reika's shoulder shaking in sorrowful fashion and climbed up beside her on the bed. "How could he just go away like that again?" She whimpered as Luminescent leaned her head on her hip. Luminescent gave grunts and spoke in an organoid fashion. "I just don't understand…" Reika muttered. "I don't understand why he thought leaving me alone would do me any good…" She added tearfully. Reika began to sob more and pressed her face to the pillow, disturbing how Luminescent was laying on her. Her faithful organoid placed her head between her shaking shoulders and heaved a mechanical sigh.

~*~

Haldor took some notes down on a clipboard as he inspected the Gilvader with Nirvan. Conor had returned to the headquarters earlier than they had anticipated, and returned to sulking on the railing. Merely observing them take record on Reika's new Zoid. Lilith walked into the hangar and saw Conor standing there. He heard her footsteps and had turned around. She looked away and walked off towards Haldor quickly. Conor gave a weak sigh and looked down at his Hound Soldier a ways away.

"I have a lot of repairs to do…" He groaned. Kama silently walked up behind him.

"Well, who's fault is that dummy?" Kama inquired.

"Shut up I get it, I can't talk to myself anymore…sheesh." Conor groaned yet again.

"What, just pointing out the obvious as you were." Kama retorted.

"But you _always_ point out the obvious Kama." Conor turned around to face her. She gave a huge grin.

"And you _always_ point the negative out in others so you can conceal it in yourself." Kama replied and strolled off, seemingly like she was on a sugar-high. Conor gave her a confused look and returned to his sulking.

Lilith walked up next to Haldor and looked at the statistics they took on the Gilvader. She gave an impressed whistle.

"That's one hell of a Zoid. Those saw like things on the back terrified me already." Lilith stated looking up at the enormous Zoid.

"Yuuup. This thing came all ready with a Radar shield. The horns there are known as twin masers, and mounted on it over there one the chest and the neck are plasma cannons, ten needle guns and beam smashers." Haldor pointed out. "All in all I would be afraid to be Conor at this point in time." Haldor added. Lilith laughed almost hysterically.

"I would be afraid to be him _period_." Lilith stated. Nirvan left the Gilvader and got back on the walkway to the office.

"Well this is a really, really nice Zoid. Reika's lucky have this thing." He added. Kama walked up to the humming in her usual fashion. "How can you be _humming_, in a happy tune after all that's just happened?" Nirvan asked placing his hands on his hips. Kama raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know maybe because I don't dwell on the negative like Conor and you do." Kama imitated his hand gesture to his hips. Lilith and Haldor chuckled lightly.

"No seriously, am I the only one aside from Conor and Reika of course, who sees the problem as a serious matter and that it needs to be taken care of?" Nirvan stated matter-of-factly. Haldor rolled his eyes.

"Well if you think that Conor and Reika can't handle it between themselves, civilly, then follow me up to the office where we can discuss it." Haldor said.

~*~

Reika grabbed a bag and changed into a clean, identical set of her pilot suit. She stuffed changes of clothes into the bag along with a couple of blankets and a pillow. She slung the bag over her shoulder and motioned for Luminescent to follow her out the door. She closed the door and took note that her hair was up. She smirked and took it out of the ponytail she had it in and strode down the corridor into the kitchen with pride.

Reika entered the kitchen and looked through the cupboards. She opened the bag back up and stuffed anything that was canned and didn't need to be refrigerated into the bag. She closed it back up and threw it back over her shoulder. Luminescent tagged along at Reika's heels. Reika finally entered the hangar and saw Conor leaning on the railing. She looked past him and saw her beautiful new Gilvader. She went ahead and walked past Conor and onto the launching pad. The cockpit opened up as it sensed her approaching it. Conor sat up from the railing and called out to her.

"Reika, where are you going?" Conor shouted. "You should be resting you weren't even asleep for the rest of the night!"

"I am going to find Raven." Reika called back sternly. "So why don't you mind your damn business!" She snapped. Conor flinched.

The rest of the gang was up in the office peering through the glass, wondering what the duo were shouting about. Nirvan pressed a button that brought a layer of glass down and let sound into the office.

"He left Reika! He left while you were in that…whatever it was when t new Zoid was formed! You have no idea where he went or if he even wants to be here!" Conor shouted.

"I know what you said to him Conor I am not an idiot!" Reika shouted back. "I know Raven. I know him better than anyone else does or ever will!"

"Well here's something you don't know about him! Where's he at?" Conor questioned. "You're not gonna find him now Reika!" he finished.

"Conor you have no idea how far I would go to find him." Reika stated.

"Yeah you'd go out to the next three towns and then just come back!" Conor not only said but wished were true. Reika shot him a dirty look as she threw her rucksack into the open Gilvader cockpit and Luminescent growled. She stormed over to Conor, looked him straight in the eyes, and back fisted him from his left cheek.

"I would comb the desert. I would even search the sea of sand we call a continent. I would go to the dark side of the moons and back if that's what it took. Hell I would even scour the stars in the night sky that is just how much I love him. I lost him once due to someone else's personality disorder I absolutely _refuse_ to go another four years in my life without the man I love!" Reika shouted. The rest of the crew were astounded as they watched Conor get chewed up, spit out, and extinguished from the endangered list and placed in extinct. Reika barged off from Conor, leaving him to tend to his own wounds. She hopped into the cockpit. "Luminescent!" She called out. Luminescent made a grand entrance into the Gilvader. The automatic launching pad lifted the Gilvader up and the hangar ceiling parted to let it out. Once she reached the open air Reika took off, heading away into bright desert morning.

"_I am going to find you. And while I am at it, find myself._" Reika thought to herself as she tested the speeds in the Gilvader.

It was _much_ faster than her Redler ever was.


	11. Lost and Found

**Chapter Ten**

_Lost and Found_

The sand seemed to just go on forever. It had been days, possibly even a week since Reika had left her old home in her new Zoid. The high afternoon sun beat down and cooked everything and anything living in that desert. Reika panted slightly in her cockpit, since the heat was going through the cover now. She felt like she had been flying for months instead of hours. She landed the Gilvader in a sea of dunes for a moment so she could stop to eat and take a drink of what water she had left.

"Luminescent…Do you have any idea when the next town, or even an oasis might spring up?" Reika asked her companion. Luminescent shook her head. Reika groaned and took refuge from the sun underneath the shade of her Zoid. Luminescent curled up next to her and Reika pet her head affectionately. "Luminescent, do you remember much about our past?" Reika asked tiredly. Luminescent nodded. "How come you only chose to share that with me when I was protected by you?".

"_It was the only time I could share them with you._" Luminescent grunted at Reika. Reika sighed.

"Can you explain to me why the scenes I pictured calmed me down, and soothed any pain I felt?" She asked once more.

"_You have good memories tied to them._" Luminescent replied.

"Like what? Please tell me." Reika eagerly asked.

"_Why are you suddenly so interested in something you used to deny?_" Her companion questioned.

"What do you mean deny? I never denied I was an Ancient Zoidian." Reika stated befuddled.

"_What I mean was the people you supposedly care about didn't even know this about you. You seemed like you didn't care about your heritage._" Luminescent elaborated. Reika seemed unsure now.

"Well…I just never thought of it as a major importance…I mean Prozen took advantage of it, I am quite nervous about letting anyone else know who…I mean what I really am." Reika elaborated.

"_Understandable. But even I explained to you the memories that are locked away within you, you wouldn't want to believe me. Ha ha, after all you've had three different personalities in my lifetime._" Luminescent joked. Reika gawked at her.

"Oh come now…I must have retained _some_ resemblance to my past self." Reika insisted. Luminescent shrugged.

"_You fall for men easily, that's for certain._" She said. Reika gawked.

"What?" She asked incredulously. "Wait…" She held her head as some of the memories that she had returned to her before flooded back. "I was not old enough to associate with men…" Reika gasped. Luminescent began to laugh.

"_See it is all coming back in its own good time. I promise Reika it will be easier later._" Luminescent told her. Reika stared off into the sand and dirt with a clueless expression written on her face.

"There is a reason my hair was always up as well…" Reika muttered as she ran a hand threw her loose, long amethyst hair. She turned to Luminescent to see that her companion had fallen asleep. Reika gave a small shrug, sighed, and followed her organoid's example.

* * *

_Reika giggled as she was running quickly away. _

_"I'm going to get you Eclissi!" Verasi shouted. Reika laughed and then suddenly stumbled over a rock. She caught herself with an 'oof'. Verasi kneeled down and poked her back and quickly darted off. "Your turn! Get me or Ibelya!" Verasi called out. Obscura watched in amusement as the younger girls all ran in circles chasing one another. Obscura laughed every time one of them fell down because of a rock or sheer clumsiness. _

_A loud chirping like noise began to echo in the cliff faces. The girls stopped chasing one another and looked up. Obscura began a low growl. _

_"Shush, Obscura don't worry. I think it's just a baby organoid." Ibelya soothed her companion. Reika craned her neck to look up. She saw straight up the rocks and saw a purple blur on a ledge. _

_"I think it's on that ledge there!" Reika pointed out. Ibelya and Verasi walked to her side. _

_"I think you're right." Verasi agreed. Ibelya started to climb onto the larger rocks._

_"Ibelya what are you doing?" Reika asked concerned. _

_"I'm going to go get the organoid. I think the mother thought the egg was a dud." She answered with her midnight blue hair swinging in its long braid. Obscura objected to Ibelya climbing up the cliff face. "I'll be fine!" Ibelya insisted as her Organoid continued to get in her way. _

_"I'll go!" Reika announced as she nimbly hopped from one rock and grabbed another. "I climbed a lot on these when I was small." She added._

_"You still are small." Verasi chuckled. _

_"Oh hush." Reika said pulling herself up the cliff face. Ibelya and Verasi watched on their toes, ready to catch the small girl if she fell. Reika grunted as she scrapped her hands and knees on the rocks and sharp edges. She made it up onto the ledge where she saw the purple blur. She settled down on the ledge and looked down, and saw just how far up she really had climbed up. Ibelya and Verasi waved at her. _

_"Do you see the Organoid?" Ibelya inquired. Reika turned around and saw a small head poking out of a nest rested further up the ledge._

_"Yes I do! No mother in sight." Reika replied. _

_"Eclissi you need to get it and bring it down. Make sure you have a firm grasp on it or it will wiggle out." Ibelya informed her. Reika nodded and began to walk carefully to the nest._

_"Here little organoid…Here." Reika tried to coax. It poked its head up out of the nest and tilted it to the side in a confused manner. It hopped out of the nest and looked at Reika. It had a regal purple color too it and had very bright green eyes. "C'mere girl…" Reika coaxed. It jumped over to her and sniffed her hand as she knelt down. Reika lifted her other hand up and the baby Organoid squeaked and swung her tail at it. A small blade was on the end of her tail and had slashed the top of her hand. Reika let out a shrill cry. She bit her lip and grabbed the little organoid. She placed her snugly underneath her left arm and ignored her hand. She went to the ledge and started to climb down._

_"Eclissi are you ok?" Verasi and Ibelya shouted up at her. _

_"Yeah I'm fine!" Reika replied. She held onto the ledge with one hand and stepped down on the edges carefully. She made it halfway down and the Organoid was beginning to get uncomfortable. She was wiggling more and more and Reika was slowly but surely loosing her balance. Ibelya ran closer to the ledges where she was at. _

_"Obscura!" She called out to her companion. Obscura ran over to her. "You have a better chance of catching her than I do." _

_Reika was still hanging in there but it was barely. She looked down. The Organoid squeaked again and clawed at her side. Reika lost her balance and fell. She screamed and clutched the small organoid to her chest. Obscura deployed the energy wings all organoids have and flew up to catch Reika. Reika landed on Obscura's back and once Obscura landed she rolled off, still holding the baby tightly. Ibelya and Verasi rushed to her side as she shakily sat up. _

_"You…are such a nuisance." Reika told the little one. She squeaked again and Reika shook her head. Blood ran down her hand and the little Organoid looked at it curiously. _

_"Are you ok? You're bleeding!" Ibelya asked. _

_"Yeah I'm fine." Reika said standing up, cradling the organoid. Ibelya looked at her hand. _

_"C'mon we need to bring you and her home!" Ibelya insisted. _

_"Fine." Reika gave in. _

* * *

Reika woke up and the sun had gone down some, she glanced back at her left hand and saw a light scar on the top of it. She looked over at Luminescent who was still asleep and shook her head. Reika got up and wiped some beads of sweat off her face.

"Wake up Luminescent. Time to get heading out some more." Reika stated. Luminescent stretched out and got back up.

"_Fine, fine._" She replied. The Gilvader lowered its cockpit and Reika hopped back inside.

~*~

Night time was coming, slowly but surely the desert sun crept down the horizon. Reika sighed for what seemed like the millionth time that day alone. She looked up at the dimming sky and saw the first star of night shining by itself. She saw the outline of the two moons as well. She looked forward and saw some shapes in the sand. She zoomed in on her radar and saw a set of ruins. She gasped.

"Luminescent! Look!" Reika shouted excitedly.

"_Oh so you know where we are?_" Luminescent asked. Reika nodded. She pushed the Gilvader's thrusters just below maximum so they would reach the set of ruins before it got totally dark. She landed the Gilvader off in some sands just past the ruins, so she wouldn't harm anything in them. She exited the Zoid once the sun finally set and the moons rose. Reika and Luminescent both walked slowly into the ruins. Reika peered out into the sands and saw many remains of old Zoids, covered up by the sands of time. She looked away and walked forward. She touched the ruin walls and memories from four years ago flashed. She remembered bubbles and water, shouting, and Raven.

* * *

**Another rather imformative filler than an action packed one. Next Chapter I promise that something exciting will happen. Hope you enjoyed :) ~Sahara**


	12. Intruders

**Chapter Eleven **

_Intruders_

Reika walked running her hand on the walls of the ruins. She felt like it was so familiar that it was too good to be true. She finally saw the moonlight shining through an exit at the end of the corridor. She picked up her pace to reach it and turned into it to see something she was only used to at the palace.

_Grass…_

It was lush in the middle of these ruins; there was a small oasis with tons of flowers with purple petals lining the sides of the water. The grass blew with the cool desert night breeze. Luminescent walked up beside her and walked on into the oasis. Reika merely gawked at it for a moment and eventually took a step in. Stepping into the grass felt so much different than stepping in the loose sand. She walked diligently over to the water's edge and sat down. She looked out over the water and closed her eyes.

_Reika placed a stool by the window and stepped onto it. A small Luminescent peered up quizzically at her and questioned her with a light squeak._

_"Shush Luminescent…I'll be fine just stay put ok?" Reika stated. "And please don't wake mom and dad up…" She finished as she hopped out the open window and into the night. She landed with a quiet thud and ducked in the bushes. She peered over the leaves and then stood up right and walked out of the bushes. She kept an open eye out on the small dirt paths everyone took to get places. It was far too late now for most to be out and about but she did not want to be spotted outside so very late at night. _

_Reika finally approached the cliff faces. She walked around them and knew exactly where she was going. There was a small little path made out of the rocks and ledges. Reika smiled and ran quickly to it and began to climb her way through it. She had taken this path many times before, so she had few and far between slips and falls. Reika finally made it through the path and emerged near an old abandoned stone house that was built around an oasis. Reika smiled as she saw a young man sitting at the edge of the water in the distance. She sighed with relief and began to agilely climb down the rocky path._

_"Kodiak" Reika called out to him from a short distance. The boy looked up from the water to her and returned the smile she had. He had forest green eyes, tan skin and dirty blonde to brown hair that reached a couple inches past his ears. _

_"Hello Eclissi." He got up and welcomed her with a warm embrace. Reika hugged him tightly. _

_"I missed you." She whispered to him. _

_"Same here." Kodiak replied. "You left Luminescent at home again?" _

_"Yes I did. She would be too loud to take through her at night." Reika answered. _

Suddenly, Reika was snapped out of her déjà vu by Luminescent nudging her.

"What, girl?" Reika asked. Luminescent was growling towards the entrance to the oasis. Reika stood up and reached for the gun in her holster. She loaded the magazine with lightning speed and aimed it at the entrance. Footsteps were audible now, since the intruders' shadows were not visible in the night. Luminescent growled louder; Reika cocked the gun. A large silver organoid emerged from the shadows, on guard like Luminescent. This organoid seemed really familiar to the duo, as the steps became a running pace.

"Zeke, buddy, what's wrong?" a masculine voice called out. A young man with spiky black hair, and a red and black pilot suit, ran into view and Reika, out of instinct, shot at him. "_Acck!_" He let out a yelp; Reika missed by an inch.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Reika demanded. The young man looked over and saw her silhouette and Luminescent's glowing eyes. Reika heard him steady his own gun and the Organoid accompanying him begin to growl back.

"Calm down, I'm not here for a fight." He replied. There were more rapid footsteps behind him.

"Then why did you draw your gun as well?" Reika inquired. "Call your organoid down and I'll call back mine."

"Zeke, chill out." The man muttered.

"Luminescent, back down." Reika commanded. Luminescent backed up to stand beside Reika. "Now lower your weapon." She demanded once more as she stood up.

The man sighed and lowered it. Reika walked slowly towards him as he made a motion for whoever was following him to halt. "Now why don't you introduce yourself and tell me why you're here."

The man opened up a badge and pulled out a necklace as well.

"I'm Van Flyheight and I'm with the Guardian force."

That's when it hit Reika.

* * *

**I am so sorry it took so long to update. I'm still piecing together events, and struggling in school (sadly the first time that's happened) So I worked out a little cliffhanger to keep you guys hooked :3 again I apologize for getting so overwhelmed xD. ENJOY I know its rather short. Btw if a word is missing a "T" my T key is rather sticky and prefers not to work too often. **

**Sahara**


	13. Deal

**Scouring the Stars**

**Chapter Twelve**

_Deal_

Reika's eyes widened, her mouth dropped a little by just hearing him say his name.

_Van Flyheight_.

"You're the guy Prozen sent Raven after…" She muttered with a hushed breath.

"Oh no." Van mumbled. "Guys, stay back." He called back. Reika's demeanor went rigid. She pressed the end of her gun against his throat. Zeke growled loudly and Reika merely shot him an evil, rage filled glare. She returned her attention to Van after the Organoid realized how deadly serious she was being.

"You're the guy who almost killed Raven." She started. She smirked as Van's attention was sparked. "Remember me? I had the break down in the Redler four years ago." Reika asked. "I'm sure you felt terrible after my reactions to your news."

"I'm truly sorry about that, really I am. But I'm really trying to work on putting the past behind me, and Raven did survive after all. We're looking for him." Van tried to sway the subject; Reika knew better.

"Van, I've killed bugs more clever than you. Don't try to change this subject on me." She stated coldly. "I am searching for him again, personal reasons I don't feel like delving in to. So, just to keep it simple and to the point, any enemy of Raven's, is an enemy of _mine_." She pressed the gun harder onto his throat. She heard a feminine gasp from inside the corridor. Probably that ancient Zoidian girl, who was currently fearing for her friend's life.

"So, since we have a common goal in life…" Van started, attempting to clear is throat, with little success. "Why don't we, um…Strike a deal." Reika's attention was caught.

"I'm listening." She started.

"How 'bout we _both_ search for Raven. Together." Van had said calmly and sincerely. Reika pretended to go into deep thought and shook her head.

"No good enough. C'mon great _Hero_, sway me, change my mind about blasting your throat out and watching you suffocate." Reika answered. Her mind was flooding with anger about what he had done to her and Raven for years ago. Her occupation as a bounty hunter has nearly trained her for this moment. Killing the man who almost killed the love of her life. "How about this," She started. "How about, if you guys and I both searched for Raven, but, you've got to let him go free. No charges against him for whatever crimes he committed, no arresting him, just handing him over to me, and you'll bet your sorry Guardian Force pendant that you will never see us again in your life." Reika finished up. She lowered the gun and held her hand for him to shake; to seal the deal. Van quickly grabbed it and shook.

"You've got yourself a done deal." Van stated Smirking. "On my honor, I will not do anything to harm him so long as you guys don't do anything wrong later." Reika nodded.

"That works for me, Flyheight." Reika stated. Van nodded, and motioned for his friends to enter the ruins.

Van and his group (Fiona, Thomas, Irvine, and Moon-Bay) had set up their own section of the ruins as a camp out. They set up sleeping bags and stoked a fire. Reika and Van agreed to leave first thing in the morning.

Reika sat by the bank of the Oasis again. She stared out at the water, questioning the flashback she had before certain law enforcement had trespassed in her haven.

"Luminescent," Reika began. "Who was Kodiak?" Luminescent curled up next to her.

"_You remember how I said before, that you have fallen in love easily since I've known you?_" Luminescent answered with a question. Reika had nodded slowly. "_Well, technically, Kodiak was you're first love._" She answered. Reika spun her head around so fast it was a miracle it didn't fly right off.

"Say what?!" She reacted. "What are you talking about?" Reika added to her flustered emotions.

"_Well, you were a different person then. Besides it's not like you gave anything up to him like you have-,_"

"Okay, Luminescent. Please do not go there." Reika interrupted her companion. "So, Kodiak was pretty much my early childhood fling?" She asked with such a disgusted tone to her voice.

"_Oh don't speak of the boy like that! He was nice, and charming. But yeah, for your state right now, we can go along with fling. I mean, it's not as if you will ever encounter him in your life ever again._" Luminescent stated. Reika nodded.

"Yeah, yeah you are right." Reika lied down and propped her hands behind her head. She gazed up at the night sky, and it was littered with stars. "Luminescent,"

"_Yes?_"

"I had almost forgotten, how vast the sky was, almost lost count of how many stars we've searched for him." Reika stated, relaxed and seemingly at peace. Luminescent peered up as well.

"_We haven't even covered half you know…_" She told her Zoidian companion. "_We've searched long and hard, we've been up and down, and you're plan about scouring the stars, hat might actually have to happen. He could be that far away._"

"Yet, I cannot help but feel as though he is not as far away as we think." Reika said, placing a hand over her heart.

* * *

**Yes, another totally short, sweet and sappy chapter. I am so tired of school, I just want it to be SUMMER. I'm tired of waking up to 18 freaking degrees in FLORIDA. T,T people's yards are FROZEN. Anyways, I hope this was at least suitable until my next update which should hopefully be more epic. Or at least mind boggling. ~Sahara**


	14. Restless

Chapter 14

_Restless _

Reika packed up with Van and company the next morning. She felt a wave of nausea every so often but brushed it off as just nerves or malnutrition. Reika crawled into the cockpit of the Gilvader and commenced in gliding over the group, slowly.

By the time the afternoon sun had risen high in the sky Reika was feeling the nausea again. She had a hand placed over her stomach in a protective gesture; hoping her insides would stop upsetting her. The heat emanating into the cockpit was not helping her much either.

Suddenly, a request for vide conference from the guy in the Dibison popped up on her monitor. She composed herself and accepted it.

"Hello. My name is Thomas Schubaltz." He introduced properly, since that didn't happen at all last night. Reika raised an eyebrow.

"You are related to Karl Shubaltz?" She asked in somewhat disbelief. He nodded in response and she had problems trying to suppress her laughter.

"What I am!" Thomas retorted.

"In a pathetic Republican Dibison? You look too scrawny to be his brother." She giggled. Thomas snorted.

"Well in that case I won't share the useful information I just conjured up illegally with you." Thomas teased.

"Fine, I'll play nice." Reika stopped laughing. "What do you want to share here, Shubaltz?" She said with a straight face. A vein twitched in Thomas' forehead.

"_Well_, Reika. I dug into your files and I searched further into the background you had with Prozen." Reika raised an eyebrow, seemingly annoyed now. Thomas smirked now knowing the upper hand in this conversation belonged to him. "So you were discovered by Raven in the ruins we just camped at correct?" He inquired. Reika slowly nodded. "Prozen here kept records with his scientists and lab assistants. As it turns out not all were loyal to him or the royal crown." Thomas stated.

"What do you mean by that?" Reika asked concerned.

"As it turns out there were more pods discovered. But since you were already awake they had no use in reviving them at that moment." Thomas said diplomatically. Reika's mouth had dropped.

"_More_ pods? How many Thomas? Are the people in them identifiable?" Reika spewed out. Thomas gave her gestures to calm down.

"I understand you're probably overjoyed right now but lemme finish." He started. Reika backed off and leaned back in her seat, and took a deep breath. The nausea was acting up again. "What I mean by not being loyal was that they sold these pods to greedy merchants." Reika's heart sank. "But some are still located in the palace."

"Do you know how many pods were sold and kept?" Reika inquired.

"I can't grab any numbers right now. But when I do I'll be in contact." Thomas said. Reika nodded. Suddenly her stomach lurched and the nausea turned into a piercing pain. Thomas saw her flinch. "You ok?" He asked. Reika struggled to answer. "I'm going to inform Van we need to stop to seek medical attention." With this he signed out. Reika placed the Gilvader on auto and hit her head on the consol.

"Shit…" she muttered.

Raven had his eyes transfixed on the dunes ahead of him. Speeding away Shadow could barely keep up. Thoughts of fighting Van previously were running through his mind. He was anxious to get a hold of him again. To fight and to win, still wasn't all Raven was thinking about.

_Reika_…

Was she ok? He had left so impulsively he was now near regretting it. Connor had won, he won. The only things he won over were Raven's patient nature, and his protective feelings for Reika.

He hoped that this was for the best for her. That he would no longer harm her physically or emotionally. Maybe this would finally be the end to their torment. Reuniting only to be separated again; he didn't want to see her just to be torn away from her again. Raven sighed, and tried to take his mind off the difficulty of love, and back onto the drive to fight.

The dunes remained unchanged; like his mind.

Reika dreaded the stop they were making now. She hadn't seen a doctor in years, and was afraid that the doctor was going to tell her she had some irreversible disease that was going to stop her search for Raven. Or something worse like only a few days to live. She was still bouncing her head on the consol when Van contacted her.

"Are you that sick?" Van asked seeing her hit her head.

"Yeah, sick of stopping." Reika retorted, holding her stomach. "I just want to find Raven."

"Well, we gotta make sure you're ok, so you can find him." Van replied. "Come on, we can bring you in tonight and barely be here a day." He added. Reika rolled her eyes, turned the connection off, and got out of the cockpit and used Luminescent to get near the Blade Liger.

Van, Fiona and Thomas both escorted her into the doctor's office in the village they sopped at. It was around 5:00PM, and she figured that the doctor's would have already gone home, but she then realized emergencies don't sleep, so there were some still staying there, tending to those like her and the more serious.

She tapped her foot agitatedly, and stared hard at the floor. The nausea was gone and over with and felt fine. Now, she just felt angry that they were here, wasting time in a waiting room, when they could me kilometers away from finding Raven. Reika gave an irritated sigh and leaned back in her seat. To the others, she appeared as a fidgety child who was upset to have come to the doctor's.

The nurse finally called her name, and they sent her in by herself so they could evaluate her. She sat down on the examination bed and the doctor walked in with a pad of paper, and a pen.

"Good evening," he greeted. "So what seems to be the problems?" He asked.

"Well, according to my traveling party, my nausea seems to be 'serious'." Reika began. "Even though I don't feel any now. I don't see any problem." The doctor nodded.

"Now ma'am, I need to ask you personal questions about your health. This will stay strictly between you and I unless you do otherwise." The doctor said. "Are you ok with this?"

"Yeah sure, why not…" Reika sated trying to get a good look at the doctor's name tag. "Doctor Harolds." She answered.

"Ok good. Have you been seriously ill in the past 5 years?" He began his inquiry.

"Not that I recall."

"Have you eaten any unknown foods, or drank any unclean water in the past week?" He asked next.

"No." Reika responded. The doctor was taking quick notes.

"How long have you been traveling?" He asked.

"At least two weeks." Reika had to think of that answer.

"When was your last menstrual cycle?" The doctor asked, in a normal tone. Reika's face flushed red, she hardly spoke of that outside of girl chat with Lilith or Kama.

"Um…" She stammered. "I had it three weeks ago, on time." She finally recalled. Then it hit her.

"Have you had any irregular bleeding? Spotting?" Doctor Harolds asked. Reika shook her head. "Have you had sex within the past month?" Her face went redder.

"Uh..I…erm. Yes…" She answered.

"How many partners have you had?"

"One!" She answered, feeling appalled he had to ask that kind of question.

"The nausea started when?" He added.

"A couple of days ago." Reika answered. The doctor continued to ask questions until finally he had her exit, and set up an appointment in the morning. By now it was 5:45, and she felt awkward.

She lay in bed at the motel they decided to stay a. She argued for a room alone, not even wanting one of the girls to just be there in the other bed to keep her company. Luminescent curled up next to her, and she lay atop of the covers rather than underneath them. She looked out the window, just gazing not really looking at anything in particular, thinking. What was wrong with her? If there _was_ anything wrong with her.

She turned over and got out of bed. She went to the bathroom, and reached for a washcloth to scrub her face. Reika scrubbed her face and went back to her bed. She sat cross legged on it instead of lying down. The clock ticked by and ticked by; her mind still wandered, and her feet kept her pacing. What _really _was wrong with her? Was it just the stress she was undergoing the past few weeks manifesting itself into ailments? Or, perhaps it was something serious. She would not know until tomorrow evening. Reika gave a deep sigh and collapsed on her bed. Luminescent was taken aback by the sudden jolt of motion. Luminescent rested her head on Reika's back.

"I'm sorry girl…" Reika replied to her companion. "I just cannot rest. I cannot rest knowing the distance between he and I grows with every passing moment." She explained. Luminescent nuzzled her head against Reika's back.

Shadow pushed Raven's arm, urging him to go to sleep. Raven stoked a petite flame, staring into the flickering lights and melding colors.

"I don't wanna sleep yet, Shadow." Raven replied pushing his arm back. Shadow made some grunts and curled up into a ball. "I miss them too boy…I just hope this was for the best." He looked up to the sky and stared out at the stars. Memories from the weeks before replayed in his mind like a film. The Redler crashing, the orb of light, the altercation with Connor, the thoughtless process of his leaving, and how Reika must have reacted. How had she reacted? Did she understand? Did they lie to her? Would a lie have been better for her than the truth?

_Anything to keep her from hurting…_ Raven thought. _She shouldn't have to be put through any more because of me._ Raven then looked at the waning moons, and wondered if she was gazing at them this very moment, the way they did four years prior to this madness. He poked the fire a few more times before he sighed.

"I miss you, Reika." He muttered into the chilled night time desert air.

**Sahara: PLEASE DON'T HATE ME! I know I haven't updated in like FOREVER but I have EXCELLENT NEWS! SCHOOL'S LETTING OUT AFTER NEXT WEEK YAY! I'll be updating more often (or at least I should 0,0) because I'm going to be babysitting, working at the supermarket like I have been the past year, and selling stuff at the Flea Market, and attempting to get some service hours in for NHS and crap…SO I WILL DO MY BEST! I hope you still read and enjoyed this I'll be picking this slow pace up eventually xD**


	15. Expect the Unexpected

Chapter 15  
_Expect the Unexpected_

Reika sat up once Van and Fiona knocked on her room door. She didn't sleep; not a wink. She answered the doorand acknowledged them with sleepless, empty eyes.

"Good morning." Fiona greeted. Reika nodded in reply.

"I'll go get changed. Give me a minute." Reika turned away for a moment before shutting the door. Van and Fiona exchanged worried glances. Though Reika was not on their side by any means, or even remotely their companion, they felt somewhat responsible for the hardships placed on her. Even four years doesn't dull the clarity of the memory they had in the desert with her.

Luminescent stayed dashing distance away from Reika as if she was about to suddenly fall over from fatigue. Reika successfully got ready and met Fiona and Van outside her room. They escorted her to the doctor's office. Reika was as fidgety as she was the night before in the waiting room. Fiona stayed with Reika in the waiting room while Van waited outside with the Organoids. Fiona looked over a Reika, who was holding her head up with her hands resting on her knees. Fiona saw that Reika's knees were bouncing from anxiety.

"So, have you been looking for Raven since we last met, Reika?" Fiona asked. Reika quickly shot up from her dazed state.

"Excuse me, I am not myself lately, what did you ask?" Reika excused.

"I was wondering if you had been looking for Raven ever since we last met?" Fiona asked once more.

"Oh…" Reika breathed. She sighed. "Yes and no…" She turned her attention back to the floor. She analyzed the pattern on the carpet. "You see, I wandered aimlessly for the first half of the first year by myself. Then I ran into a bunch of bounty hunters, and began working with them. It was a distraction, also a way of searching, you know?" Reika began. "Then finally, like all the wishes I made at night on the stars came true, I finally found him on accident. It was great, until one of my so called friends acted on his own selfish whim and basically chased Raven away with fear of my safety. I was badly injured trying to break up a zoid battle between Raven and Connor, my friend…" Reika explained a little further. She averted her gaze back to Fiona to see if she was actually listening. "And here I am." Reika finished. Fiona nodded.

"I see you really care about Raven." Fiona stated.

"I think the word care is more of an understatement." Reika retorted.

"After hearing all that has gone on, I can agree with you." Fiona stated. "What did your friend do exactly?"

"Well he's not my friend so much now…He was jealous of the love Raven and I had and he wanted me for himself, and he kept challenging Raven over me, and frankly he was just pissing Raven off. Finally Raven snapped and fought him to put Connor in his place. The moment I realized what was going on I tried to intervene with my Redler and was damaged badly by Raven's charged particle beam…" Reika was choking back some emotion recalling the terrifying moments.

"How were you not injured?" Fiona asked incredulously.

"I was." Reika responded laughing a little to shake off her nerves. "My Redler crashed and caught fire but Luminescent saved me. Not only did she do that but she kept me inside her and transformed my broken Redler into the Gilvader outside with your Zoids." Reika finished. She sighed; she felt better. Like a pressure was released off her chest and shoulders. Reika felt as though she could almost breathe easier.

"Wow…Organoids are amazing creatures aren't they?" Fiona stated.

"Quite." Reika replied leaning back. "Shadow was the one who transformed Raven's Zoid into that monstrosity." She said with contempt.

"You get shivers when you're around Genosaurers as well?" Fiona asked surprised. "I thought it was just me."

"I cannot stand those monsters. Deathsaurer, Genosaurer, and Genobreaker I do not like them…period." Reika said. "Being around them feels eerily familiar, and as if it were instinct, I want to flee from them. They're nothing but evil…"

"I agree." Fiona sated. They both were silence for a lapse of time. "You and I aren't very different if you think about it." Fiona broke the silence. Reika looked back at her.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"We both hate the same evil, we both are ancient Zoidians unsure of our pasts, just trying to fit into this new century, and we both love someone that life just doesn't want you to have." Fiona explained. Reika glanced out to the door and saw Van playing with the Organoids, and then caught Fiona glancing at him too.

"I can see you two care about each other very much." Reika stated. "Why can't you have him? You two are always traveling with one another, you have the same goals in your lives, there is no way he does not love you back." Reika questioned.

"We have a good bond now and I'm just afraid that being together in that manner would just ruin everything we have now…" Fiona stated, sounding very unsure. Reika sighed.

"What you have now is just the beginning, it starts out as friendship and then it's just set on fire. What you guys are both doing is putting out the sparks that are supposed to start the flame. You have to force those sparks to ignite to get the connection you guys crave." Reika got Fiona's attention. She gave her a hard look, a look that was sternly telling her there was something she needed to acknowledge. "The feelings are there, you just need to embrace them, do not be afraid, it is quite natural." She added.

"I'll take your advice." Fiona replied nodding her head in appreciation. "I can see that if there is anything you are an expert at, it is love."

Reika smiled; how she wished there such an expertise.

"Reika, the doctor will see you now." The nurse called out.

Raven set the boosters on high and Shadow was almost struggling to keep up. He had a strange feeling about this day. It was almost like he woke up on the other side of his bed. Ever since the sun had rose into the sky he had a sense of chance about the day. It was only beginning to become late morning, rounding 9:30 at the very least. Heat waves distorted his vision of what was in front of him in the distance.

From what he could make out of the waves was probably a small town.

"_I could probably replenish supplies there, and possibly get a good fight out of some people there. Who knows…_" Raven thought. He probably had an hour or so before he arrived.

Reika sat on the examination table. The doctor came in looking over his papers on the clipboard. He greeted Reika warmly and got himself settled in his chair.

"So I hope that you have a possible explanation for my symptoms." Reika stated. The doctor shrugged casually.

"There is one of two possibilities it could be." He responded. Reika sighed.

"Well go ahead begin." Reika said.

"The first possibility is stress. Stress when taken on for a long period of time without stop, it takes a huge toll on the body and the symptoms could just be the manifestation of your stress." The doctor explained. Reika nodded.

"Now what is the other one?" She asked. The doctor sighed and looked up for a moment, as if the words were going to magically write themselves in the air above his head.

"Ok, this next explanation may not be what you expected…" He responded.

Reika walked out of the doctor's office to be nearly ambushed by Fiona and Van's questions.

"So what did the Doc say?" Van asked.

"I…He said I was just going through a lot of stress lately and its manifesting itself as my symptoms. No big deal." Reika stated sounding uncomfortable. She caught Fiona's eyes and she could read in them the uncertainty with her answer; she would probably have to tell Fiona later.

"Ok then, were you ready to head back to the hotel rooms and get going?" Van asked.

"Very." Reika responded quickly.

Reika was finishing up stuffing her only rucksack full with her belongings when Fiona had made her way into the room.

"Hey Reika, I was curious…What else the doctor tell you?" She asked. Luminescent turned her head quizzically as Reika sighed.

"How could you tell there was something else?" Reika asked. Fiona smirked.

"I could just see it in your eyes earlier. Van's not so hard to fool. You don't have to tell me but I was hoping that maybe I could offer help of some sort." Fiona stated. Reika stared blankly at her.

"Why are you so kind to me, when I almost blew off Van's throat?" Reika asked confused.

"I knew you weren't going to Reika. Your strife wasn't with Van, it was with the rivalry he and Raven have that you have a problem with. Besides, I feel as though we can be friends, if you want of course. I think we could really help one another out." Fiona answered. Reika was left slightly speechless. She gulped and lifted up her rucksack and sat down on her bed.

"The doctor did tell me that it could be because of stress, but the symptoms I was describing to him, the vomiting and the nausea, the changing moods and the timeline of…specific events fit most along the lines of…" Reika paused to take in a breath. "Pregnancy…" She nearly whispered. Fiona looked wide eyed at her. Fiona and her remained silent for a moment before Reika stifled a sob. Fiona silently moved next to her and embraced Reika. Reika leaned her face into Fiona's shoulder and wept a bit. Fiona rubbed her back gently and Luminescent lied her head down in Reika's lap.

"It's going to be ok Reika. You'd be a good mother." Fiona said after Reika let it all out. All of her bottled up emotion, the pent up anger, sadness, loneliness, and confusion.

"It just became that much more important that I find Raven…" Reika sniffled. Fiona hugged her.

"You will find him. Don't worry."

"…now I have to find him not just for my sake but, possibly someone else's…" Reika said sitting up holding her hand to stomach. A knock at her door disturbed their moment of peace.

"You guys ready? We need to get going." Van called in.

"Give us a minute Van we'll be out soon." Fiona stated. She looked back at Reika and made eye contact. "Everything will be ok, Reika. You will find Raven, you two will have beautiful children, and live happily and undisturbed." Fiona stated. Reika smiled and laughed a little.

"That would be nice." Reika stated wiping tears from her eyes. "Ok, I think I'm ready to get out of here." She added.

"Atta girl!" Fiona exclaimed and gave her a huge embrace. Reika was unaccustomed to this kind of behavior, aside from when Kama would have her own outbursts, and even those themselves were rare.

Suddenly the boom of cannons and artillery fire rang off in the distance. Reika felt something, a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"What was that?" Fiona asked as they both raised from their seats on the bed. Reika just stared blankly out the window. They both saw Thomas, Irvine, and Van dash past the window and down the stairs towards the outskirts of the town.

"C'mon we need to go catch up to them!" Fiona exclaimed as Reika snapped out of the dazed state she was in. She quickly followed Fiona out the door and Luminescent followed suite.

"Fiona Luminescent and Zeke could get us there faster than we could ever run." Reika stated.

"Yeah your right. Zeke!" She called out. Reika was already a step ahead of her, leaping onto Luminescent's back.

"_Please be him…Please oh please…_" Reika desperately thought.

**Sahara: I was up SO late xD. Anywho hope you enjoyed, the next chapter is going to be action packed. I'm working up my epic fight description, and how it is all about to go down. So read and review and I'll update ASAP. And I apologize if anyone was dissapointed with anything (like my timing and problems updating xP) 'cause I also know hat what I put in here is one of those if-y things in stories that people either love or seriously hate. **


	16. Once and for All

Chapter 16  
Once and for all

Fiona and Reika rode on Zeke and Luminescent's backs, who were rocking themselves quickly to the action transpiring at the gates of the town. The entirety of their rush Reika had one thing fleeting through her mind.  
_  
Please be Raven…_

They finally made it to the gate only to find Irvine and Thomas holding off two Heldigunners and a Helcat.  
"Freaking bandits!" Van shouted as he was climbing into the Blade liger's cockpit. Luminescent slid on to scene with Zeke not too far behind. Reika felt a white hote flash of anger sear through her, because of the false hope these pests gave her. Along with the fact that, who did they think they were, picking a fight with Gaurdian Force members and a gun for hire?  
"Luminescent! Get us to the Gilvader!" Reika shouted. Luminescent roared in compliance.

"No! Reika you shouldn't!" Fiona shouted in protest.  
"Why not? They could use my help out there." Reika retorted.  
"Van, Irvine and Thomas can handle it you don't need to risk your life again." Fiona argued. "You can't take another huge Zoid accident." Fiona urged. Reika listened passively and Luminescent halted.

"Luminescent are you on her side too?" Reika asked. Luminescent nodded in response. Reika sighed and looked out into the skirmish. The Helcat had jumped Thomas from behind and a Heldigunner was giving Irvine a run for his money dodging everything by burrowing into the sands. Van ran into the fray with the blades extended and took out the one Heldigunner that was shooting from afar.

"Go Van!" Fiona shouted. Reika looked on, longing to get into the fight. Then she saw a shot get fired at the Helcat, from the direction of the vast desert.

"Where did that shot come from?" Thomas shouted. Reika then averted her attention to the dunes nearby.  
_I know this feeling…_She thought. She turned to Fiona to see if she noticed it as well. Fiona went wide-eyed. Reika looked back out into the distance and saw something emerging from the heat-waves.

"_It's the Genobreaker!_" Reika announced happily.

* * *

Raven set his sights on the Heldigunner that was burrowing and emerging from the sands.

"Ok clever guy…think you can avoid…" Raven waited until he saw the sands beginning to collapse where he would emerge. "This!" and with that he fired his laser gun at him. He got a better look at the Zoids these thugs were fighting and noticed they were Van, and his crew. Raven felt the fire of competition burn in the pit of his stomach and set his boosters on high.

Van spotted Raven on his radar.

"Oh no…" Van muttered. "There is no way he is on his way to help us." He stated. "Reika you need to get to the Gilvader and communicate with him before he tries to blow us all away!" Van announced over his intercom. Luminescent swiftly brought Reika over to the Gilvader. The Gilvader lowered the cockpit so that she could climb in easier. She started it up and immediately took flight. She sent a communications to Raven.  
"Raven!" She exclaimed. Raven's face took on a great pallor.

"Reika…You're ok." He seemed so relieved.  
"Yes! And when Connor told me of your departure, I've done nothing but search for you!" Reika stated. Tears streamed from her face as her smile stayed wide. "When I ran into Van and Fiona, I knew I would find you!" Raven could hardly believe she was on his communications screen. "I'm landing don't go anywhere!" Reika told him as she pulled the Gilvader right in front of the Genobreaker. She exited the cockpit almost recklessly. Raven had nearly ejected himself from his own. They ran to meet each other in between the two Zoids. Reika leapt into Raven's embrace and he had fallen backward as they kissed passionately.

"I thought I'd never see you again…" Raven gasped holding her tightly. "I hurt you…no matter where we are, no matter what we do, I always end up making your life hell…I can't keep doing that to you…" he murmured.

"If being in danger, and having a higher risk of being hurt means I can be with you for the rest of my life then I do not give a damn!" Reika said. "After finally getting you back after four long years, I know that I can never ever live without you!" Reika announced clutching him closer to her.

"But Connor had said…"  
"Forget what he said!" Reika demanded. "Forget it all! None of that was your fault! It was Prozen's fault the first time we were separated and it was Connor's fault I was hurt in the first place! Forget that part of the past. All that matters is that you and I are here and are meant to be together." Reika said almost out of breath.

"I'm not ever going to leave you again…I swear." Raven whispered to her, kissing her once more.

* * *

Van and the others all let a breath of relief out as they realized Reika has Raven occupied and that he more than likely, won't be bothering them again, at least for a long, long time.  
"I'm glad she was able to be reunited with him." Fiona told Van as he exited the Blade liger.

"Yeah so am I!" Van exclaimed. "I figured if we didn't have her right now we would have had a bigger mess on our hands than just those bandits."  
"Yeah well…I just know some things you do not know." Fiona chimed.

"Like…?" Van extended.

"Like nothing. You'll find out if we ever run into them again a few years from now." Fiona answered.

"Why do you sound so cryptic?" Van whined.

"Just because I can." She replied. "Just…because I can." She smiled.

* * *

The sun was setting and Reika and Raven were on a quick course back to the bounty hunters hideout. At least a week tops, they stocked up on supplies back in the town where Van and his company parted ways, silently but peacefully with them, and the two could never be happier.

Or so Raven thought.

"Did you want to stop and rest for the night, continue on early morning? We are ahead of schedule." Reika asked over the communications.

"Sure." Raven answered, cooling down the boosters and setting down the Genobreaker.

The two had a fire going, with a pot of soup cooking over the flame. Reika was snuggled securely into Raven's arms, leaning her head against his shoulder as they both peered up at the star speckled sky. Luminescent and Shadow lay together intertwined as would most dogs, or other domesticated animals would do with companions.

"I told Conor that I would scour the stars just to find you…" She said.  
"That would take a rather long time, don't you think?" Raven responded.

"Long, but worth it." She answered. Reika looked up at him. "There are a number of reasons I would never give up on searching for you, and two of them are tied at the most important ones of all." Reika stated smiling wildly. Raven smirked.

"Oh really? Tell them to me." He asked.  
"The first one…" she said holding his hand over her chest. "Is because I love you with all my heart and being." She said, kissing him on the cheek.

"And the second most important reason?" Raven asked. She moved his hand to hold it over her belly.

"I am pregnant."

* * *

_**I cannot express how sorry I am it took me so long! my only excuses run as that I had a very hectic June last year, with Graduation, moving out, visiting Europe, starting college etc...It sucked most of my actual creative juices from my mind! Now albeit thats the writing portion of it my ideas sadly did not stop coming so now when I become a famous author there will be many titles out there with my name! xD enough digression, I will be posting an epilogue, very very very VERY shortly. If you could I'm taking a poll; Should I or should I not, write a continuation. Details will be on my profile, but YAY or NAY is appreciated in reviews or PMs (provided my PM doesn't try to isolate me once more)  
I look forward to the reviews once again I AM SO SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG**_


	17. Epilogue

_**Scouring the Stars**_

_**Epilogue**_

Haldor sat at his desk playing with some of the paper clips he had a pile of when suddenly, the communications alert sounded.

"Who the hell could that be?" he muttered turning the com on. Reika's face appeared on his large computer communications screen. "HOLY SHIT! _Reika!_" Haldor exclaimed nearly flipping his desk over getting a closer look to his screen. "I thought we would never see you again!"

"I told you I'd return after discovering Raven didn't I?" She stated smiling a little.  
"Well? I suppose you found him." Haldor said.  
"Indeed I did. Please open the hangar for both of us to land please, and get everyone gathered in our common area, I have big news." And with that she turned the communications off.

* * *

Reika and Raven exited their Zoids, organoids following close behind. Reika was greeted warmly by everyone there; Lilith, Kama, Nirvan, Haldor and Connor, who had approached them both slowly and with apologies out in the far reaches of the milky way where planet Zi was orbiting.  
"Soooo you have big news?" Kama asked. Reika smirked.

"Yes, but I will tell everyone in the common area." She said. "So come on no time to lose." She added as they made their way down there, asking millions of questions of how they found each other again, and where she had gone.

"Well, I am very happy to say that I have returned here, and not empty handed as I swore." Reika had begun.  
"If this is about lover boy moving in Reika…" Haldor interjected. "He has to pay his dues too."  
"Well, Haldor, it's a little more critical than just him moving in." Reika had corrected. He shrugged.

"Continue then."

"As I was saying. Even if I had _not_ found Raven, I found that eventually I would have had to make my way back to you guys, since you are really the only family I have known since my new start in this time period." Reika said. "I now realize the magnitude of what I was hiding from you guys. Since Luminescent had held me inside of her when I got into the accident I have had flash backs, occasionally, back to when the ancient Zoidians were present. I feel like now, more than ever, I should have told you guys that I was the adopted daughter of Prozen, and that I was actually an ancient Zoidian. I feel very terrible for taking advantage of the acceptance into this group of ours and not letting you guys know everything that may have explained a lot about my own existence." Reika took a long breath in and held her arms across her stomach. "And with that I hope you are as welcoming to our child as you were to me…" She said smiling.

"_You're pregnant?_" Everyone (minus Raven) had all shouted at once.  
"Oh my GOD have you thought of a name yet? Are you hoping for a boy or a girl? Do you think it'll look more like you or Raven?" Kama freaked out hugging Reika and repeatedly letting go to look her in the face to ask these questions. Lilith shot up and embraced her as well, while Haldor had a look of pallor overcome his face and Connor hung his head. Nirvan had just kinda sat there looking at the cheerful girls and asked "when did this happen?"  
"Babies…are…so damn expensive…" Haldor took a deep breath in. "Of course we will Reika! After all we are all family here. We'll teach that sprout how to pilot his or her own custom Zoid and help us in the business when they're old enough!" He walked over to her and gave her a huge hug. Then strode over to Raven and shook his hand vigorously. "Congratulations…To the both of you. You will make very good parents."

"Thank you, Haldor." Raven had said first. Reika ran and gave Haldor a huge embrace.

"You really are the best, Haldor." Reika nearly purred. "I am forever grateful to everything you have ever done for me…you're almost like my own father." Haldor hugged her back.  
"We are really glad to have you back here Reika…even if you're knocked up. Your baby is going to be a huge joy around this dump." Haldor said chuckling.

"Maybe it can do the dishes better than me so Haldor will stop moaning about it…" Nirvan had cracked.  
"I think a piece of scrap metal could do a better job on household chores than you Nirvan!" Haldor scolded.

"_Nothing here has changed…and I am so glad it hasn't"_. Reika thought smiling and looking over to Raven. "_Now, we can finally live out the rest of our lives in peace._"

Reika walked over to Raven and kissed him softly.  
"Now, what to do about the _wedding_?" Lilith commented popping up next to her.  
"OH OH I CALL PLANNING IT" Kama had exclaimed.

The girls stole Reika from Raven for the moment as they all three walked down the hallway, Raven watched her walk away and take a glance back at him.  
"_Don't worry, Reika, we have all the time in the world now_." Raven thought shooting her the same loving smile as she was.

_

_Fin_

* * *

**There you have it...The very end. I'm not certain if I want to continue on with my beloved Reika's life story passed on to her and Raven's kin, but maybe in time and enough motivation I might. It's actually hard for me to believe that I've finished it, and I spent a long, long time on this and its first half, its almost hard to let go of *sniffle*. I hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.  
~Sahara**


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